Africa-Press – Cape verde. Cape Verde registered a record number of tourists in 2024, with an estimated total of 981,354 visitors, the highest figure in the statistical series, according to data released today by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). This result represents an 11.8% increase compared to 2023 and a 39.1% increase compared to 2022, confirming the recovery and consolidation of the tourism sector in the post-pandemic period.
According to IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), 56.8% of tourists visited the country during the high season, while 43.2% arrived during the low season. The United Kingdom remained the main source market, responsible for 36.3% of the total number of tourists, registering an increase of 14.9% compared to 2023 and 32.2% compared to 2022. Compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic year, the growth was 25.8%.
Germany ranked second, with 11.5%, followed by the Belgium+Netherlands market, with 10.1%, reversing positions compared to 2023. Portugal remained in fourth place, with 9.8% of tourists.
The island of Sal continues to concentrate the largest tourist flow, representing 59.0% of overnight stays, followed by Boa Vista (36.6%) and Santiago (2.4%). In terms of access, Amílcar Cabral International Airport, in Sal, was once again the most sought after, followed by Aristides Pereira International Airport, in Boa Vista, both in high and low season.
In 2024, the average daily expenditure of tourists amounted to 9,014 Cape Verdean escudos, with women showing higher average spending, around 10,966 ECV per day, reversing the trend observed in 2023. By country of residence, tourists from Portugal registered the highest average daily expenditure, at 42,829 ECV, followed by Spain, with 23,937 ECV, while residents of Sweden presented the lowest value, at 1,282 ECV.
Women represented 58.1% of tourist demand, and the average age of visitors increased to 45 years, one year more than in 2023. The most representative age group was 25 to 34 years, with 22.4%, while young people between 15 and 24 years old accounted for only 7.0%. Most tourists were employed (74.6%), followed by retirees (13.6%).
The vast majority of visitors were neither citizens nor of Cape Verdean descent, representing 94.9%. Regarding annual family income, 23.8% of tourists earned between €48,001 and €60,000. In terms of satisfaction, 92.2% recommended Cape Verde as a tourist destination and 82.2% expressed an intention to return.
As in previous years, holidays continued to be the main reason for travel (95.2%). In contrast to 2023, trips for conferences, fairs, and seminars came in second place, with 1.6%.
According to IBGE, 87.1% of tourists traveled on package tours, of which 74.3% opted for the all-inclusive option. The average length of stay was 8.7 days, slightly longer for men (8.8 days) compared to women (8.7 days). Tourists from the United States stood out with the longest average stay, at 18.1 days, followed by those from Germany and France, both with 10.1 days.
Regarding expenses, tourists spent mainly on food and beverages (21.9%), accommodation (15.8%), and handicrafts (15.6%). For those who did not travel on package tours, accommodation was the most significant expense, while those on package tours saw the highest spending on food, beverages, and handicrafts.
Finally, the INE (National Institute of Statistics) highlights that the United Kingdom concentrates its tourists primarily on the islands of Sal and Boa Vista, while Portugal has a more balanced distribution among the islands. Trips organized by tour operators and travel agencies were almost entirely concentrated in Sal and Boa Vista, while independently organized trips were more prevalent in Santiago, accounting for 9.3% of organized visits.
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