Cape Verde Islands

<center>Cape Verde receives 219,000 tourists in first half 2011</center>

Praia, Cape Verde, 30 Aug – Cape Verde received 219,000 tourists in the first half of the year, which was real growth of 47,000 tourists and percentage growth of 27.5 percent against the same period of 2010, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said in Praia.

The United Kingdom was the main source of tourists for Cape Verde, accounting for 16.6 percent of entries into the country and Sal continued to be the island most sought out by tourists, taking a 37.7 percent share of all hotel stays on the archipelago.

After tourists from the United Kingdom, came those from France and Italy, accounting for 16 percent each, whilst those from Germany and Portugal accounted for 13.8 percent and 13.2 percent, respectively.

Also according to INE, visitors from the United Kingdom were those that, on average, stayed longest, with 8.3 nights, followed by those from the Netherlands, with 6.9 nights and Italy and Germany, with 6.6 and 6.4 nights, respectively.

In the first half of 2011, the bed occupancy rate across the country was 55 percent, with a 10 percentage point rise against the same half of last year, and the islands of Boa Vista and Sal had the highest bed occupancy rates with 76 percent and 64 percent, respectively. (macauhub)


http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/2011/08/3 ... irst-half/