Cape Verde » Tourism

Tourism in the islands has been growing at a breakneck pace of 25% annually over the past five years. Tourist arrivals jumped from 67,000 in 2000 to 183,000 in 2005, according to the Minister of the Economy, Growth and Competitiveness. The number of tourists is expected to reach 500,000 once all the new airports and infrastructure are in place. 

Remember in Cape Verde you drive on the right hand side of the road and you will need an international driving licence. Taxis are called Aluguers and that name covers anything from cars to vans and mini buses, fix the price before setting off. The public bus services are cheap and of a surprisingly high standard. Apart from main roads, be prepared for some rough terrain.

According to the official statistics, tourist arrivals are growing at a rate of 22 per cent every year. It is projected that Cape Verde will reach one million tourists annually by 2015 (up from 83,259 in the year 2000). Cape Verde appeared in Expedia.co.uk's top ten destinations for 2007. With year round warmth and Cold Ocean currents helping to keep the temperatures from soaring too high, Cape Verde has an attractive climate for tourists, and the majority of visitors are Western Europeans. The people who go to Cape Verde for the beach life tend to be families, while it is quite a young, adventure-seeking crowd that goes there for the diving, surfing or trekking.