South Africa’s Radisson Safari Hotel Becomes Africa’s First Verified Net Zero Hotel

October 28, 2026 | By Semahegn Nigatu

Radisson Hotel Group has designated its 138-room Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit in South Africa as Africa’s first Verified Net Zero hotel, following changes to its energy supply, food services, waste management and procurement.

Located in Limpopo province near Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon, the hotel has adopted measures to reduce emissions across its operations and supply chain. The programme includes renewable electricity, electrified equipment, wastewater recycling, food-waste composting and lower-carbon dining.

The hotel combines on-site solar generation with renewable electricity procurement. From 2027, it also plans to use a solar-wheeling agreement, under which solar-generated electricity is fed into the national grid and an equivalent contracted volume is allocated to the hotel’s consumption.

Electrification measures include electric kitchen equipment, heat pumps for hot water and electric utility vehicles. The property also recycles all its wastewater through an on-site treatment plant and works with specialist partners to process recyclable materials and food waste.

In food and beverage operations, the hotel is introducing carbon-labelled menus in partnership with Klimato, allowing guests to see the emissions associated with their meal choices. The data also helps the culinary team assess ingredients and develop lower-carbon dishes.

Radisson Hotel Group’s Verified Net Zero programme addresses emissions across all three scopes of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, covering direct emissions, purchased energy and value-chain activities. The group says the programme prioritises emissions reductions before addressing residual emissions through carbon-removal credits. The hotel’s status is independently verified by TÜV Rheinland.

“Bringing our Verified Net Zero programme to Africa is an important step in making lower-carbon hospitality a practical choice across more destinations,” said Tim Cordon, chief operating officer for the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia Pacific at Radisson Hotel Group.

The group aims to have 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030, according to Inge Huijbrechts, its chief sustainability and security officer. She said independent verification provides a framework for assessing hotels’ emissions reductions and gives guests, owners and corporate customers greater confidence in their environmental claims.

Source: FSX Business News