Hotel Supply and Demand Incoming tourism to Cape Verde has developed relativelyrecently, but the tourist accommodation capacity is stilllimited. The total capacity in 2005 is reported to be 4,406rooms in 132 tourism accommodation establishments.70% of capacity is in hotels (3,101 rooms in 33establishments). The capacity in other types of touristaccommodation (boarding and lodging houses,aparthotels, villages and residences) was 1,305 roomsin 99 establishments.Sal has the most developed supply of touristaccommodation (53% of the total capacity and 66%of the hotel capacity), because of its historic status asthe only gateway airport for international flights and thequalities of the beach at Santa Maria. Boa Vista, anexpanding beach resort destination, Santiago, which has54% of the total population, and Praia, the capitalcity, have the second and third most importantaccommodation capacities.

Existing Hotel Demand Recorded hotel demand, measured by bed nights in hotels,in Cape Verde totalled 774,155 (83% of total touristnights), with an average length of stay in hotels of 4.4nights, in 2005. The overall bed occupancy recorded byhotels in 2005 was 51%. Variations in bed occupancy onthe main islands are given in the following table.

Hotel demand on Sal has been driven by the international airport and the island's development as Cape Verde's mainbeach-based tourism destination. Leisure tourism demandhas been predominantly supply-led. Boa Vista is alsodeveloping as a beach based tourism destination, butsupply is still limited. Hotel demand on Santiago ispredominantly business based, dominated by Praia's role asCape Verde's capital. Demand in Sao Vicente is generatedby business related activities, particularly Mindelo port, andthe island's role as Cape Verde's cultural centre. Sal,Santiago and Sao Vicente, together with Fogo (where theactive volcano is located) for some groups, are the mainislands included on multi-island tours. The typical stay formulti-island tours is two or three days on each island.