Manchester and Oslo as pilot properties
Speaking at the A World for Travel conference in Paris, Inge Huijbrechts, Global Senior Vice President Sustainability & Security at Radisson Hotel Group, presented the progress of the company’s two first verified net-zero hotels, inaugurated in spring 2025.
Both hotels, located in Manchester and Oslo, were developed from existing buildings rather than new constructions — a deliberate choice.
“It’s important because 80% of the real estate that needs to be decarbonised by 2050 already exists. We must prove that decarbonisation is possible in already-built hotels.” – Inge Huijbrechts, Global Senior Vice President Sustainability & Security, Radisson Hotel Group
Their carbon neutrality is achieved through full electrification, renewable energy sourcing, and offsetting remaining emissions via the Agreena program.
Positive results on both operational and business fronts
Five months after opening, the market response has been encouraging. Around 80% of guests reported being aware that they were staying in a verified net-zero hotel, and 20% indicated it was a deciding factor in their booking.
Operationally, both hotels have outperformed their peers by 30–40%, suggesting that credible climate strategies can also yield tangible business benefits.
Investment levels vary by property: approximately €1,000 per available room in Oslo, and an additional €1.5 million in Manchester to electrify the property and install heat pumps.
Ten new net-zero hotels planned by 2026
Building on this momentum, Radisson plans to reach ten verified net-zero hotels by 2026. The rollout will prioritise properties already equipped or technically prepared for the transition. Other hotels requiring more extensive upgrades will follow at a later stage.
Inge Huijbrechts stressed the importance of collaboration over competition. The methodologies used are openly shared within the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance to encourage collective progress across the industry.
Through these first verified properties in Manchester and Oslo, Radisson demonstrates that the path to net-zero can combine operational resilience, measurable impact, and growing guest engagement.
