Radisson launches Africa’s first Verified Net Zero Hotel in Hoedspruit
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The 138-key Radisson Safari Hoedspruit combines renewable electricity, electrified operations and lower-carbon guest experiences, supporting the group’s ambition to reach 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030
Radisson Hotel Group announces that Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit has become Africa’s first Verified Net Zero hotel, marking a significant milestone in the transition towards more sustainable hospitality on the continent. The achievement demonstrates how an existing safari hotel can significantly reduce its environmental impact through changes across energy, dining, waste management, water conservation and responsible procurement, while maintaining the comfort and service guests expect.
With views of the Drakensberg Mountains, 138 rooms and suites including options with private pools, dining venues, spa facilities and meeting spaces, Radisson Safari Hoedspruit, a Verified Net Zero hotel brings the program to both leisure stays and business gatherings. Guests can explore the region’s wildlife and landscapes while staying at a hotel that embeds emissions reduction and resource efficiency into its operations.
The launch supports Radisson Hotel Group’s ambition to reach 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030, extending a program already operating across the UK and Nordic markets to its first African destination.
Radisson Hotel Group’s Verified Net Zero (VNZ) Hotels program addresses carbon emissions across all three scopes, virtually eliminating Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (purchased energy) emissions, significantly reducing Scope 3 (value chain) emissions, and addressing residual emissions through carbon removal credits. Verified Net Zero hotels operate on 100% renewable energy and incorporate low-carbon dining and waste minimization practices, with independent third-party verification by TÜV Rheinland.
Tim Cordon, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Africa and South East Asia Pacific at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “Bringing our Verified Net Zero program to Africa is an important step in making lower-carbon hospitality a practical choice across more destinations. At Hoedspruit, the natural surroundings are a defining part of why guests visit, making this a particularly meaningful place to introduce the program. The hotel demonstrates how investment in renewable electricity, electrification and everyday operational changes can reduce environmental impact while maintaining a compelling guest experience. It also gives our owners and teams across Africa a practical example of how existing hotels can contribute to the transition toward net zero.”
Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability & Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “Verified Net Zero requires us to look beyond a hotel’s energy supply and address the wider footprint of its operations. Independent verification by TÜV Rheinland provides a consistent framework and gives guests, owners and corporate customers greater confidence in the hotel’s credentials. Bringing the program to Africa is an exciting proof that Verified Net Zero can work everywhere and strengthens our understanding of how to apply this approach across different destinations as we work toward 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030.”
The Verified Net Zero program
Staying at Radisson Safari Hoedspruit, a Verified Net Zero Hotel, allows guests to experience how comfort, innovation and sustainability can come together in a safari destination. The comprehensive program addresses the carbon footprint of the hotel’s energy use, covering Scopes 1 and 2 as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, alongside its operational and supply chain footprint under Scope 3.
The program follows a reduction-first approach. Scope 1 and 2 emissions are near-eliminated through electrification and renewable energy. Operational Scope 3 emissions are reduced through targeted changes across food and beverage, waste, laundry, amenities, procurement and hotel operations. At Hoedspruit, these measures include renewable electricity, electrified equipment, lower-carbon menus, recycling and composting, reduced packaging and more efficient use of resources.
