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Cape Verde to be boosted by direct flights - 21 February 2007

There will be direct flights from Europe to Praia's new international airport in March, boosting Cape Verde's property market, reports Property Investor News...

Located off the coast of West Africa, the republic of Cape Verde is a chain of 10 main islands and around 8 islets.
The main islands are:

Barlaventos (northern island group)
Santo Antao
Sao Vicente
Santa Luzia (uninhabited)
Sao Nicolau
Sal
Boa Vista

Sotaventos (southern island group)
Maio
Santiago
Fogo
Brava

Situated in the tropics, the islands of Cape Verde enjoy all year round sunshine with average temperatures ranging from 24°C (75°F) in January and February to 29°C (85°F) in September. Cape Verde literally means "Green Cape" and was a Portuguese colony in the 15th century.

The new Canary Islands?

Comparisons are currently being made between Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, which also lie off the coast of West Africa but further to the north. Whereas tourism is well-established and booming in the Canary Islands, tourism in Cape Verde is just starting to seriously emerge. Cape Verde's tourism sector grew 25 percent between 2000 and 2005 and has been voted as one of the top ten holiday hotspots for 2007 by Expedia customers.

The Cape Verdean government has just signed an agreement with the UK to improve relations in the airport sector.
A key first step in this initiative is the opening of the the new international airport in Praia, Cape Verde's capital on the southern island of Santiago. From March, there will be direct flights from Europe to Praia. Flight times from London, Paris and Amsterdam will be 5.5 hours.

This presents a great opportunity for property investors to get in early while Cape Verde property prices are still low, and then benefit from the country's rapidly emerging tourism market.

 

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