Volcanic islands as vectors of sustainable tourism

Cape Verde stands out in world tourism, attracting tourists in search of its transparent waters, scenic landscapes, ecotourism and water sports, among other characteristics that make it so special.

With the objective of diversifying the tourism sector and reducing the impact on the most visited islands, Cape Verde government has been carrying out actions and studies with the support of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) for the elaboration of Tourism Development Projects aimed at the creation of the necessary conditions to increase investment and sustainable tourism development in the archipelago.

This work contemplates the development of the Tourism Master Plan of the Islands of Fogo and Brava, aiming to identify the particularities, potentialities, and specific needs of each island for a tourism development coherent with the territory.

The islands of Fogo and Brava are characterized by their cultural richness and scenic natural landscape. However, they are among the islands that receive less than 10% of the total number of tourists visiting the country, due to different factors. The islands of Sal and Boa Vista are the ones that receive most tourists and the most sought after in international tourism.

The work involves a relevant initial step of understanding issues related to the dynamics of tourism in the region, in addition to considering the tourist demand on the islands, analysis of the tourist inventory, attractions and tourist infrastructure, as well as their main characteristics and identification of the opportunities and challenges for composition of new routes or strengthening of existing products.

1) Trackway , Rural, Cultural and Nautical tourism; 1.1) Santo Antão; 1.2) São Vicente; 1.3) São Nicolau; 2) Sun and Beach Tourism; 2.1) Salt; 2.2) Boa Vista; 2.3) May; 3) Business Tourism; 3.1) Santiago; 4) Experience Tourism; 4.1) Brava; 4.2) Fire.

The construction of the future vision for the islands considers the definition of strategies and action plans considering an articulation of the region of the two islands for the promotion and development of tourism. Experience tourism is prioritized, allowing different forms of visitor engagement with the place. In the areas of strategic action, potential tourist segments and products that lead to proposals are identified, divided between actions and projects.

Each island has different characteristics in terms of tourist segments. The tourist products were developed and understood within a set of experiences and organized through itineraries, which sought to give a unique identity to the places that were defined from the strengthening and consolidation of existing tourist circuits and the creation of new ones, involving attractions potentials that have not yet been explored.

1) Crossing; 2) Agrotourism; 3) Monasteries; 4) Gastronomic and oenological; 5) Return to the island; 6) Fig pit; 7) Boiler floor trails; 8) Intangible assets; 9) São Filipe; 10) Chã das caldeiras; 11) Sea; 12) Salt pans.

For Ilha do Fogo, which has already consolidated and attractive tourist circuits. It was proposed to strengthen them, through the implementation of improvements, interventions and connections with new circuits. The objective was to diversify the options offered to visitors, increasing their length of stay and expanding the experiences and experiences in each attraction. The image highlights the various scripts and their connections.

1) Ilheus; 2) festivities; 3) new sintra; 4) trails; 5) sea; 6) agrotourism; 7) essential; 8) agrotourism

The proposal for Ilha Brava prioritized the strengthening of existing visitation circuits and the creation of new circuits, identifying their concept, general characteristics, attractions, and existing activities, in addition to proposals and necessary interventions. The image shows the existing circuits on the Island and their short-term implementation.