The Malta Environment and Planning Authority, with the support of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, is organising a series of talks for employees working in the hospitality industry on the importance and richness of the country’s biodiversity.
The talks form part of a series of public events the Malta Tourism Authority and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism are organising to celebrate World Tourism Day.
With the world celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity this year and with World Tourism Organisation announcing that the World Tourism Day will be themed ‘Tourism and Biodiversity’, the idea is to further highlight the importance of biodiversity to tourism and the role of sustainable tourism in the conservation of life on earth.
Mepa’s Peter Gingell commented, “Mepa has embarked on an educational programme through various initiatives and a campaign to stimulate the public’s awareness on the true meaning of the word biodiversity.
“We are working to ensure that biodiversity does not remain an alien word to the Maltese but rather becomes part of our vocabulary. Knowing the real meaning of biodiversity is in itself another aspect of safeguarding our biodiversity.”
The talks being planned highlight Maltese biodiversity as invaluable heritage, which, apart from its intrinsic values, offers social, aesthetic, recreational, educational, scientific, cultural and ecological values, while also equipping employees working in the tourism industry to appreciate and share with tourists our hidden treasures.
MHRA chief executive George Schembri said, “The MHRA fully supports the initiative being taken by Mepa. We are satisfied that several member hoteliers are participating together with Mepa and MTA in creating the necessary awareness through their respective employees to the real meaning of biodiversity, its interaction with tourism and its protection.”
Island Hotel’s Group Human Resource Director Christina Galea noted, “As a group we have always had a strong commitment towards responsible business and encourage our employees to participate in various activities throughout the year to support this.
“Talks like those being organised by Mepa on biodiversity are of great interest and also address the need for greater awareness on one of the many aspects of our environment. Awareness and education is the first step in encouraging all stakeholders to take responsibility and understand how each person can make a difference in improving and safeguarding our heritage – be it historical, cultural or natural.”
InterContinental Hotel Human Resources Director David Vella added, “As part of our approach to responsible business, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts believes it is our responsibility to get involved at grassroots level to protect and enhance the natural environment, heritage and communities our hotels reside in.”