tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98512031615224680.post2075043906230816048..comments2024-02-20T15:33:44.940-05:00Comments on The Great Cape Verde Adventure: What Americans think about vacationing in Cape VerdeAngelohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02873908097584757867noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98512031615224680.post-48768492784390319482013-03-10T20:36:47.210-04:002013-03-10T20:36:47.210-04:00i am the individual that published the message on ...i am the individual that published the message on 3/10/13, concerning cv. i would welcome anyone with info on areas i spoke on, to contact me presonally, because i really want to travel to cv, and possibly retire their, or in one of the other pure countrties of africa. this purity judt doesn't exist on any other continent. i have traveled to 6 continents. my name is rathael fambro. i can be contacted at r.fambro@sbcglobal.netAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98512031615224680.post-36559966491087955712013-03-10T20:31:26.868-04:002013-03-10T20:31:26.868-04:00I found this article to be very informative. I thi...I found this article to be very informative. I think Africa in general, needs to have more airlines that service the US. People shouldn't have to go through europe, to get to africa. Senegal, for example, could have airlines that made stops in CV.<br /><br />I also would welcome more info on retiring in CV, and Africa in general. I think africa offers a great climate, hospitable people, lots of activities, beaches, and surpasses other continents in so many areas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98512031615224680.post-12785965486749640462011-06-08T17:18:13.621-04:002011-06-08T17:18:13.621-04:00You make some excellent points. Yet, you are descr...You make some excellent points. Yet, you are describing a catch-22 or chicken-and-egg type situations.<br /><br />For example, it's not the government that would advertise but private US Travel agencies. The CV government didn't advertise in the UK, it is Thompson Travel that did. Why? Because Thompson saw a great product (Cape Verde sun & sand in Sal and Boa Vista), packaged up that product, and added it to their suite of vacation offers because they knew that the British vacationers would go there for the right price. Once it was discovered, the word was spread and now the rest is history.<br /><br />Another example of the catch-22 is TACV. That is Cape Verde's national airline. They only have TWO aircraft to do all their international trips. But it's not TACV that brings the throngs of European tourists. It's the European airlines and charters! TACV is too small. Same thing would happen here in the US once the destination is discovered and there is demand. It's no different than what happened in the Caribbean as well. Once there is a huge demand for a destination, many airlines jump in if they see that they can profitably serve that market.<br /><br />Customer service? You're absolutely right. Cape Verdeans have not been taught the customer centric models of service that the service industries in the Caribbean and Mexico have learned over decades. For Cape Verde, it's new. But they can learn. They've even opened a new Hotel and Tourism school.<br /><br />I think that CV has a lot of room for additional tourism. In terms of relative size, there is room to triple the tourists visits (to about 1.5 million) without adverse effects from tourism. This won't require selling all the land. Remember, there are 9 islands. Boa Vista and Sal alone can support 1 million tourists (i.e. double the current visits) without any impact to their natural beauty. And the other islands could absorb the rest. The problem from a development standpoint is that less than 20% of the tourists travel to the other islands, so the positive economic effect hardly reaches them.<br /><br />At the same time, it is necessary to achieve a better balance in the CV economy to effectively raise the standard of living of the CV society. Tourism alone cannot do it. The government is well aware of this and is taking active steps to try to strike a better balance. For a more in depth discussion of the economic and investment opportunities in CV, visit my other blog, "Invest in Cape Verde" at http://investincv.blogspot.com.Angelohttp://investincv.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98512031615224680.post-47054655958215302652011-06-08T16:18:21.910-04:002011-06-08T16:18:21.910-04:00As an American who lived in Cape Verde from 2005-2...As an American who lived in Cape Verde from 2005-2009, I rarely ever met another American who was in Cape Verde solely for the purpose of tourism. As you article suggests this could be seen as an opportunity. Here are the reasons I would suggest this will not work. <br /><br />1. Cost of Marketing: For Cape Verde to penetrate the American market of mass tourism or even alternative or cultural tourism the Cape Verdean government would need to spend much more money than they have or are willing to spend.<br /><br />2. Flights, While flight time is only 6 and 1/2 hours from Boston what about if you live in California, or Washington D.C, or any other major city? This increases time and costs. Secondly once you arrive in Praia, you must fly to other islands. This again adds time. Yes S. Vicente has an international airport but they are only serving Europe. The real issue is that there is only one dysfunctional airline that travels from the States to Cape Verde non stop. TACV which is not equipped to deal with increased tourism from the States.<br /><br />3. Customer Service: Cape Verde has incredibly friendly people and horrible customer service. If you have ever been to the Bahama's or the Caribbean you will know that you are treated very well. People smile and are happy to help you in restaurants, bars, and hotels. Cape Verde is great but it is not so great that they can get away with arrogant service (mostly European inspired). <br /><br />It is my contention that Cape Verde should forget about the American tourist. They have spent their marketing budget on European and it has worked. Why take the very small amount of money the country has to use on marketing and try to get traction in the most expensive advertising environment on earth. <br /><br />Cape Verde has a lot going for it. I love the country beyond belief. I am only concerned with the focus on tourism as the sole means to economic prosperity. The country cannot rely on tourism because as we have witnessed the global economy effects even isolated Cape Verde. <br /><br />Lastly the environment of Cape Verde is not prepared for an huge influx of visitors. While I hope Cape Verde continues its positive development the country must truly do some create a truly sustainable model for tourism expansion. If we sell all the land to make resorts, the culture and uniqueness of the country is gone. Then Americans really won't travel to Cape Verde because they can get that any island experience closer to home and cheaper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com