Cabo Verde Seeks Sustainable Tourism Boost After World Cup Spotlight

Following its debut at the World Cup, Cabo Verde is courting more visitors, especially from the United States, while grappling with how to expand tourism without overtaxing its limited resources.

Cabo Verde’s surprise World Cup showing has thrust the archipelago onto the global map, prompting leaders to attract more tourists, particularly from the United States. Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva appealed for direct flights in 2024, a request fulfilled in May 2026 when Cabo Verde Airlines reinstated a Providence-Praia service, targeting the sizable New England diaspora. Tourism surged to a historic 1.25 million guests in 2025, contributing to a 6.3% GDP growth, a drop in unemployment to 6.2% and the first overall budget surplus since 2007, according to a World Bank report.

However, visitor activity remains concentrated on Sal (≈60%) and Boa Vista (≈25%), with most arrivals booked through all-inclusive European packages that limit spending in the wider economy. The sector’s rapid growth is pressuring scarce water, energy and waste-management capacities, especially on islands reliant on desalination, and the IFC notes that only about 20% of tourism firms have adopted sustainability measures. Experts propose shifting toward higher-value yacht tourism, cultural experiences and longer stays by digital nomads, but warn that the lack of a national tourism strategy, reliable data and skilled personnel hampers progress.