Tourism in Cape Verde

[citation needed] The number of tourists increased from approximately 45,000 in 1997 to more than 115,000 in 2001 and to over 765,000 in 2018 according to the Cape Verdean statistics bureau.

The vast majority of tourists visit the comparatively flat and less populated islands of Sal,[2] Boa Vista,[3] and Maio with their white sandy beaches.

[citation needed] The islands of Cape Verde have a pleasant climate during most of the year with 350 days of sunshine, and some of them offer an impressive mountain scenery as well.

[5] Some ecotourism is developing on the islands of São Nicolau, Santiago and Boa Vista.

[6] For tourists interested in cultural topics, the town of Cidade Velha on the island of Santiago was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, but cultural tourism has not been particularly promoted up to now.