Cape Verde Holiday Homes: What the Tourism Numbers Say
Cape Verde's tourism industry set a new record in 2025: 1,248,052 guests, up 6% on 2024, according to figures from the country's National Statistics Institute (INE) released in April 2026. For anyone weighing up a holiday home or rental investment on Sal or Boa Vista, that demand backdrop is the single most important number.
The case for Cape Verde rests on three things: growing, UK-led visitor demand concentrated on two islands; year-round direct flights of under six hours; and a currency fixed to the euro, which removes exchange-rate drama from a euro-priced purchase. None of that guarantees a return — so here is the picture with the caveats left in.
Demand: record arrivals, and Britain leads
INE's 2025 figures show visitors generated 6.12 million overnight stays, up 8.3% year on year, with the average stay reaching 4.8 nights. National hotel occupancy climbed from 60% in 2024 to 72% in 2025 — a meaningful jump that suggests capacity is filling rather than merely growing.
The United Kingdom was the largest source market in 2025, ahead of Portugal, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. For a British owner letting to holidaymakers, that means marketing to guests from home, in your own language, around familiar school-holiday patterns. Sal and Boa Vista continue to attract the vast majority of international visitors, which is why the holiday-home market is concentrated there.
Access: direct flights from seven UK airports
Connectivity is the market's engine. TUI and easyJet currently fly direct to Sal from London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Newcastle year-round (plus seasonal East Midlands services), and TUI serves Boa Vista from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. Flight time is roughly 5.5 to 6 hours.
Route networks do change, and an island's rental demand is sensitive to them — worth remembering when comparing Sal's broader flight map with Boa Vista's shorter list of routes.
Currency: an escudo fixed to the euro
The Cape Verdean escudo has been pegged at 110.265 CVE to the euro since 1999, under an exchange accord signed with Portugal in 1998, and the rate has not moved in over two decades. Resort property is commonly priced and transacted in euros.
For a British buyer this does not remove currency risk entirely — sterling still moves against the euro — but it does mean your Cape Verdean asset behaves like a euro asset, with no separate emerging-market currency to worry about.
The reality check: costs, competition and management
The hard numbers cut both ways. Hotels captured 85.2% of all overnight stays in 2025, per INE — the all-inclusive resort model dominates, especially on Boa Vista, so private lets compete for a minority of visitor nights. Realistic occupancy assumptions matter more than headline arrival figures.
Budget honestly for the ownership costs too. Transaction costs typically add 5–7% to the purchase price, there is an annual IUP property tax (commonly cited at 0.5–1.5% of assessed value), and non-resident mortgages are scarce and expensive at roughly 7–8%, so most purchases are cash. On resale, capital gains tax of around 10–15% can apply. Rules and rates change — confirm current figures with a local lawyer and the tax authority before committing.
- Record 1,248,052 guests and 6.12 million overnight stays in 2025 (INE)
- Hotel occupancy rose from 60% to 72% in 2025, but hotels took 85.2% of stays
- UK is the top source market; direct flights from seven UK airports
- Escudo fixed at 110.265 CVE per euro since 1999
- Allow 5–7% buying costs, annual IUP, and assume a cash purchase
How to approach it
Treat a Cape Verde holiday home first as a place you will use, with letting income as a bonus rather than the business case. Owners who do best buy in locations with independent guest appeal — Santa Maria on Sal is the clearest example — use professional local management, and model returns on conservative occupancy.
If you are starting your search, Habio has Cape Verde listings alongside area and buyer guides covering Sal, Boa Vista and the buying process, so you can test what your budget realistically buys before you fly out.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cape Verde a good place to buy a holiday home?
Demand fundamentals are improving: a record 1.25 million visitors in 2025 (up 6%, per INE), hotel occupancy up from 60% to 72%, UK-led source markets and direct flights under six hours. But hotels take 85.2% of overnight stays, so model rental income conservatively and buy somewhere you will use yourself.
How many tourists visited Cape Verde in 2025?
1,248,052 guests in 2025, a 6% increase on 2024, generating 6.12 million overnight stays, according to Cape Verde's National Statistics Institute (INE). The United Kingdom was the largest source market.
Is the Cape Verde escudo stable?
The escudo has been fixed at 110.265 CVE per euro since 1999 under an exchange accord with Portugal, and the peg has held for over two decades. Property is commonly priced in euros, so for euro-funded buyers there is effectively no local currency risk.
What are the running costs of owning in Cape Verde?
Expect an annual IUP property tax, commonly cited at 0.5–1.5% of assessed value, plus community fees on managed developments, utilities and letting-management charges. Buying costs add roughly 5–7% up front, and capital gains tax of around 10–15% can apply on resale.
Can I get a buy-to-let mortgage in Cape Verde?
Local finance for non-residents is rare and costs roughly 7–8% where available, so nearly all foreign purchases are cash, often funded by remortgaging property at home.
Sources
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Markets and rules change — verify the current position with official sources before acting. Published 2 August 2026.