Cabo Verde Tourism Surges 16.8% in Q1 2026, Exceeding Pre-Pandemic Levels
Cabo Verde's tourism sector experienced a significant rebound in the first quarter of 2026, with the number of hotel guests increasing by 16.8% compared to the same period in 2025. This represents an additional 54,522 guests, surpassing pre-pandemic figures from 2019 by 62.4% and 2023 levels by 75.6%. Overnight stays also saw a positive trend, reaching 1,725,684, an increase of 4.1% from Q1 2025 and 23.1% from Q1 2019. Hotels remained the primary accommodation choice, accounting for 81.9% of guests and 84.5% of overnight stays, followed by hotel-apartments. International tourists dominated the market, making up 95.5% of arrivals and 97.6% of overnight stays. The United Kingdom was the leading source market, followed by France, Portugal, Sweden, and Germany. Geographically, the island of Sal attracted the most tourists, accounting for 59.3% of arrivals and 57.2% of overnight stays, with Boa Vista as the second most popular destination. Despite the overall growth in visitor numbers, the average length of stay slightly decreased to 4.5 nights from 5.0 nights in Q1 2025, and the average bed occupancy rate fell by one percentage point to 65%.
The robust growth in Cabo Verde's tourism arrivals and overnight stays in Q1 2026, exceeding pre-pandemic benchmarks, indicates a strong post-COVID recovery driven by international demand, particularly from key European markets. The continued dominance of hotels and the concentration of activity on Sal and Boa Vista highlight established tourism patterns. However, the slight decrease in average stay duration and bed occupancy rates suggests potential shifts in traveler behavior or capacity utilization challenges. Future strategies might explore diversifying source markets, enhancing offerings to encourage longer stays, and optimizing resource allocation across islands to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth in the evolving global tourism landscape.
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