28 October 2009
The Cape Verde property market is expected to reap the benefits of a new fast ferry island-hopping service due to launch next year, according to Cape Verde property agent Noscasa.
The competitively priced service run by Cape Verde Fast Ferry will link all nine inhabited islands and will open up a whole new holiday experience for the ever-growing number of visitors to the archipelago, all of which will require a property in Cape Verde to rent, if not buy.
“This is a huge opportunity for the prosperity of Cape Verde and for anyone with invested interests in the islands, such as property,” said Noscasa’s managing director Paul Akwei.
He added: “Until now, visitors wanting to visit more than one island are restricted to traveling by plane but daily affordable ferry connections make island-hopping a viable holiday option that will suit smaller budgets.
“Add this to the fact that Cape Verde offers some of the best facilities and weather conditions for a variety of extreme sports and I would anticipate a surge of interest from the elusive under-25 market.”
Cape Verde is already established on the world kitesurfing circuit and is home to numerous kite and windsurfing schools. Big sea fishing and mountain hiking are also a draw for those looking for an adventurous holiday.
“One of the main attractions of Cape Verde is that, although they are very close together, the islands have wildly differing terrain,” said Akwei. “Sal and Boa Vista are completely flat with glorious unbroken white sandy shores while Santiago and Sao Vicente are lush and mountainous with vibrant little towns.
“All the islands offer fantastic holiday experiences but most visitors only visit one because getting from one to the other isn’t so easy. That’s all about to change - the ferry service is just what we have been waiting for.”
As well as targeting tourists, the ferries are aimed at providing a service for locals so, while prices are not yet set, they will be at a realistic level to retain this market.
“With the launch of the ferry service we expect to see a corresponding rise in demand for holiday accommodation, particularly on some of the less developed islands,” said Akwei.
“This presents some very attractive opportunities for those looking to invest in the overseas holiday home market as islands such as Sao Nicolau and Sao Vicente , which are relatively untouched by property development, see an increase in tourism.”
Cape Verde’s ports are already geared up for receiving seaborne visitors as the cruise industry has been seeing a year on year rise in business over the last few years.
Noscasa are currently offering a range of properties in Cape Verde for sale, units within the Salinas Sea development, a fast-growing tourist town Santa Maria, Sal, which comes with a 5% net rental guarantee return. Prices start from €80,000 (£72,500) for a studio and €178,000 (£161,000) for a one-bed.
See Also: Cape Verde (2), Marc Da-Silva (269), Paul Akwei (1), Noscasa (1)
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