Tourism was the sector that showed the greatest growth in Cape Verde in 2005 (26%) according to report from the Bank of Cape Verde. Revenues registered in the sector reached 9.5 billion escudos, which corresponds to 10.4% of the country’s gross domestic product. The Bank of Cape Verde also reported that gross revenues resulting from tourism rose 12.6% in nominal terms as a result of the increase in the supply of hotel rooms in the country and the opening of Praia International Airport.

Neves is also expected to discuss sensitive issues such as zoning, particularly regarding the Integrated Tourist Development Zones (known by the Portuguese language acronym ZDTI). The business delegation is expected to state its position regarding the government’s policy for the tourism and tourist real-estate sectors, as well as the role of investment and tourism promotion agency Cabo Verde Investimentos and the Ministry of the Economy on the ZDTIs.

The Minister of the Economy, Growth and Competitiveness, João Pereira Silva, recently announced that the government will review its land policy, a review that will include the extinction of the ZDTIs. According to Silva, the proposal comes within the framework of a gradual reform in current legislation, which he admits has caused “enormous constraints” between federal and local authorities and society at large.

Source: a semana