Green Globe Certification announces new registrations from Africa and the Indian Ocean islands

LOS ANGELES, California – Green Globe Certification today announced membership registrations from five new countries across Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

The Maia Luxury Resort and Spa, is the first hotel to register for Green Globe membership in the Seychelles, and was quickly followed by the Paradise Sun Hotel. According to legend, these unspoiled archipelagoes are the site of the “original” Garden of Eden. The Seychelles has become the top international honeymoon destination after Prince William and Catherine Middleton chose it for their romantic getaway earlier this year.

In Africa, new members include Southern Sun Dar es Salaam in Tanzania; Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel in Nigeria; Southern Sun Ridgeway in Lusaka, Zambia; Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi, Kenya; and Southern Sun Maputo Hotel in Mozambique. Situated in these cities’ busy CBDs, these properties serve the business travel market across the region.

Mr. Guido Bauer, Green Globe Certification CEO, said: “The Heritage Environmental Management Company is our preferred partner for Sub Saharan Africa, and has, over the last 18 months, dual-certified most of the major hotels and resorts in South Africa.

“Having built a loyal Green Globe membership base in its home country, Heritage has used its extensive knowledge of the region to introduce the Green Globe program to five new countries with some of the most unique travel and tourism destinations in the world. I personally welcome the new Green Globe members to our program. We will assist them with sustainable management of their businesses, and will also promote these hotels’ and resorts’ environmental and social development success stories.”

Mr. Greg McManus, Heritage Environmental Management Company CEO, said: “Due to the hard work of our dedicated teams here in South Africa, the Green Globe program has expanded under our dual labeling partnership.

“Our initial successes in South Africa continues to bring new Green Globe memberships including, the Leonardo DaVinci Hotel & Suites in Sandton, Johannesburg, and the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel, as well as the recent renewal of Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge in the Pilanesberg National Park and the Centurion Lake.”

HOTEL IN PRETORIA

Mr. McManus added: “Taking our dual Heritage/Green Globe certification to five new countries is a major challenge, but the demand by hotels and resorts in these destinations for our program is expanding quickly.

“Our Heritage/Green Globe-certified properties are the only hotels in their respective countries to be independently certified on their environmental performance and will hopefully provide a benchmark of environmental stewardship for their counterparts in sub-Saharan Africa. The hotels will serve as valuable centers of best environmental practice and in this way contribute to the development of responsible tourism performance across Africa.”

ABOUT THE HERITAGE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY

The Heritage Environmental Management Company was formed in 2002 as southern Africa’s first environmental performance rating initiative. It has since become the largest and most successful tourism-based environmental management system and certification program of its kind in Africa. In May 2009, Heritage was appointed the Green Globe preferred partner for sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

The Heritage Program is currently being operated by over 150 tourism-based businesses across southern Africa. The program is recognized by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and has partnered with FEDHASA in the Imvelo Awards held annually to recognize responsible tourism practice. For more information, visit: www.heritagesa.co.za . Contact: The Heritage Environmental Management Company, Phone: +27 (0) 12 665 1028, Fax2mail: +27 (0) 86 610 7120, Email: [email protected] .

ABOUT GREEN GLOBE CERTIFICATION

Green Globe Certification is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally-accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe Certification is based in California, USA, and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is the only certification brand to be an affiliate member of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an agency of the United Nations, and is partly owned by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). For information visit www.greenglobe.com . Contact: Green Globe Certification, Phone: +1-310-337-3000, Fax: +1-310-626-9982, Email: [email protected] .