Sal Leads Cape Verde Tourism Growth as International Demand Continues to Rise
The island of Sal has strengthened its position at the heart of Cape Verde’s tourism industry, as new figures underline growing international demand, rising hotel occupancy and the continued importance of the British holiday market.
Cape Verde’s tourism sector is continuing its upward trajectory, with Sal firmly established as the country’s leading destination and international visitors accounting for the overwhelming majority of hotel guests.
The latest tourism statistics for 2025 reveal a particularly strong end to the year. The fourth quarter recorded the highest volume of tourism activity, with 400,653 guests and 1,702,222 overnight stays.
For The Resort Group Plc, whose Lagoon Resorts operation encompasses a major collection of Meliá hotels on Sal, the figures underline both the strength of the island’s tourism proposition and the importance of continuing to invest in the quality of its hospitality offering.
Hotels remain overwhelmingly the accommodation of choice for visitors to Cape Verde, accounting for 82.7% of all guest arrivals and 85.2% of overnight stays during 2025. Apartment hotels, residential accommodation and guesthouses accounted for much of the remaining market.
At the centre of that demand is Sal.
The island accounted for an extraordinary 57.7% of all guest arrivals, placing it comfortably ahead of Boa Vista at 24.4%, Santiago at 8.1% and São Vicente at 4.4%.
Sal’s position reflects the development of a sophisticated international tourism economy around its beaches, climate, hospitality industry and the resort centre of Santa Maria.
The Lagoon Resorts and its Meliá properties form part of this established tourism infrastructure, welcoming international holidaymakers while supporting employment, hospitality services and the wider visitor economy on the island.
Lisa Kellett, Chief of Staff for The Resort Group Plc, said:
“These figures demonstrate just how important Sal has become to Cape Verde’s tourism economy. To account for more than half of guest arrivals nationally is a significant achievement for an island that has developed an increasingly strong reputation among international travellers.
“At The Lagoon Resorts, we see that international appeal every day across our Meliá hotels. Visitors are looking for the combination that Sal provides so well: beautiful beaches, year-round sunshine, high-quality resort accommodation and the warmth and character of Cape Verde itself.
“The continued growth of tourism creates tremendous opportunities, but it also places a responsibility on operators such as ourselves to maintain standards, invest in people and ensure that the success of the tourism industry delivers lasting benefits for Sal and its communities.”
Britain Remains Cape Verde’s Biggest Tourism Market
The international nature of Cape Verde’s tourism industry is particularly striking.
Non-residents accounted for 95.5% of all guest arrivals and 97.6% of overnight stays during 2025, demonstrating the country’s dependence on – and success in attracting – overseas visitors.
The United Kingdom remains Cape Verde’s largest source market, representing 29.3% of non-resident arrivals and 33.5% of overnight stays. Portugal, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands are also among the important European markets supporting the sector.
The strength of British demand is particularly significant for Sal and its resort industry, reinforcing the island’s position as a mainstream winter-sun and year-round destination for UK holidaymakers.
The figures also suggest that visitors are staying for longer.
The average stay increased from 4.6 nights to 4.8 nights in 2025, while the bed occupancy rate climbed sharply from 60% to 72%.
For resort operators, occupancy is an especially important indicator because it shows that tourism growth is not simply being driven by an expansion in available accommodation. A greater proportion of the existing tourism capacity is being used.
Kellett added:
“The increase in occupancy is particularly encouraging. Sal has developed considerably as a destination, but sustainable growth depends on maintaining the experience that makes people choose the island in the first place and encouraging visitors to return.
“The UK continues to be enormously important to Cape Verde, and particularly to Sal.
The scale of British demand shows that Cape Verde is no longer an undiscovered destination. It is competing successfully for international travellers alongside some of the world’s best-established winter-sun markets.”
Sal at the Centre of Cape Verde’s Next Tourism Chapter
Tourism has become one of the most visible engines of Cape Verde’s international growth, and Sal is increasingly its shop window to the world.
The island’s commanding 57.7% share of national guest arrivals, combined with rising occupancy and continued strength from overseas markets, provides a powerful indication of the direction in which the sector is travelling.
For The Resort Group Plc and The Lagoon Resorts, the challenge is now to help ensure that increased visitor numbers translate into long-term value for the destination.
As more travellers discover Cape Verde and established markets such as the UK continue to grow, Sal enters the next phase of its development from a position of considerable strength.
And with international visitors filling an increasing proportion of the island’s hotel capacity, The Lagoon Resorts and their Meliá hotels are positioned directly within one of the most important growth stories in Cape Verde’s tourism economy.