As a key stakeholder in Malta’s capital, the Embassy Valletta Hotel has launched an innovative tree and shrub planting scheme in its bid to support a greener Valletta.
Under the scheme, the Embassy Valletta Hotel is partnering with the Valletta local council and select travel and corporate companies to plant trees around the capital. A tree or shrub will be planted for every 50 bookings generated through the scheme partners.
With many initiatives already under way across Malta to drive reforestation and tree planting in rural areas, the Embassy Valletta Hotel was inspired by the Valletta local council’s vision to apply the same principle to the urban landscape. With each hotel room reservation through the scheme, the Embassy Hotel is helping Valletta take a step closer to a greener reality.
“This is a brilliant initiative. I am very pleased to see the Embassy Valletta Hotel giving back to the city and making it even more beautiful for those who visit during the year. As mayor, I cannot advocate Maltese businesses partaking in corporate social responsibility activities enough – it is fantastic to see leading Maltese groups of companies paving the way for others to hopefully follow suit. This green initiative will no doubt promote increased well-being in the city,” Valletta mayor Alfred Zammit said.
It is fantastic to see leading Maltese groups of companies paving the way for others to hopefully follow suit
Trees and shrubs play a crucial role in urban environments: providing shade in the summer months, acting as filters to provide oxygen and cleaner air, as well as providing shelter for wildlife and supporting biodiversity.
The launch of this green scheme marks a fitting start to life for the hotel, which opened its doors in December 2020 following an extensive redevelopment programme. The culmination of years of planning and design work and a €12 million investment, this landmark hotel is Valletta’s largest in the heart of the city, incorporating an understated luxury design and adding state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor facilities to be enjoyed by patrons and visitors.
This initiative also coincides with the annual Valletta Green Festival (which runs until tomorrow) during which St George Square’s has been transformed into a display composed of thousands of seasonal flowering plants and flowers.
The Embassy Valletta Hotel is paving the way for a sustainable Maltese hotel industry not only through its tree planting scheme, but by making the ‘green choice’ for the services and facilities it provides. The hotel is a single-use plastic-free zone; uses only recyclable paper and bamboo in its bedroom facilities; has energy efficient systems and prioritises working with suppliers that not only offer high-quality products but also prioritise social responsibility in their business activities.
The Embassy Valletta Hotel is co-owned and operated by the Gasan Group and the Big Bon Group.
Mark Gasan, director of the Embassy Valletta Hotel and CEO of the Gasan Group, said: “The Embassy Valletta Hotel is proud to launch this scheme, which we hope will help improve Valletta for visitors and residents. This scheme not only highlights the hotel’s commitment to embrace positive corporate citizenship ideals but also typifies the Gasan Group’s approach to business that under our leadership strives to ensure that through our actions we can have a positive impact on Malta.”
And Mario Camilleri, director of the Embassy Valletta Hotel and CEO of the Big Bon Group, commented:
“This initiative fits right in with the Bigbon Group’s ethos of prioritising sustainability in the way we do business within the community we operate in. The Embassy Hotel is a group investment that makes us proud for all the right reasons since it exemplifies a new approach for tourism right in the heart of our beloved capital city.”
For more information, e-mail info@embassy.com.mt.