Tourism helps explain the context of a property decision in Cape Verde. To use the data well, however, start with the question each indicator answers. How many people stayed in the establishments surveyed? How many nights did they spend there? On which island and during which period? These are different questions from how much income a particular apartment might generate.
The second quarter of 2026 provides a concrete example: the INE survey records more guests and, at the same time, fewer overnight stays than in the same quarter of 2025. Reading the two results together helps avoid an assessment based on a single number.
Two periods to keep separate
The annual picture describes a full year. The quarterly update provides a more recent comparison, but it must be compared with the same quarter of the previous year.
| Survey period | Guests in hotel establishments | Change against the corresponding period | Overnight stays | Change against the corresponding period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2025 | 1.248.052 | +6.0% against 2024 | 6.120.204 | +8.3% against 2024 |
| Second quarter 2026 | 276.598 | +9.2% against the second quarter of 2025 | 1.292.441 | −0.6% against the second quarter of 2025 |
Sources: INE, guest statistics for 2025, published on 10 April 2026; INE, second quarter 2026, published on 9 September 2026. National data for the establishments covered by the survey; sources consulted on 1 October 2026.
The second row does not describe the whole of 2026. The difference between guests and overnight stays is not enough to identify a cause and does not demonstrate an increase or decrease in private apartment income. It should not be turned into a forecast of house prices.
Guests, overnight stays and apartment nights
An overnight stay counts one person staying for one night. Nights sold for an apartment instead measure the use of that unit. To illustrate the difference: two people staying together for three nights generate six overnight stays, but occupy the apartment for three nights. This is an arithmetic example, not market data.
When an estimate uses the word ‘occupancy’, therefore, ask what is being counted: beds, rooms or apartments; which period; and which days are included in the denominator. Days reserved for the owner and days closed for maintenance must be identifiable. Two percentages calculated on different bases are not directly comparable.
The count of guests in accommodation establishments should not automatically be presented as the number of unique individuals entering the country either. To understand the population observed and the counting method, refer to the survey being used.
From national data to the individual home
To move from statistics to a property assessment, we propose four levels of enquiry. They form an MGM Intelligence approach to reading the information, not a certification of the market.
1. The island and the period. Specify where the property is and which months you are considering. A national annual figure does not automatically describe demand in the neighbourhood and during the period when you intend to make the home available.
2. The type of stay. Identify who might be interested in the property: people seeking a self-contained apartment, families, longer-stay guests or other users identified through evidence. The choice of this audience is a hypothesis to verify; it cannot be derived from the total number of guests.
3. Comparable properties. Collect examples similar in location, size, condition, services and management arrangements. Record the date and source. An advertised rate shows an asking price; to describe income, you need data on actual stays, discounts, cancellations and costs.
4. Day-to-day management. Clarify who handles bookings, reception, cleaning, assistance and maintenance. Check service availability, the scope of the appointment and the quotation. A financial forecast remains incomplete if it does not explain how the home will be managed.
A clear assessment sheet before a percentage
An initial assessment should allow assumptions to be traced back to their sources. This sheet helps organise discussions with your contact and the appointed professionals.
| Item | Information to collect | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Property and surroundings | Unit, location, features and services | Identified property sheet and visit |
| Calendar | Days for personal use, maintenance and letting | Calendar broken down by use |
| Demand | Proposed audience and comparable properties | Sources, period and limits of the comparison |
| Revenue | Assumed rates and projected nights sold | Supported assumptions; actual figures kept separate |
| Expenses | Management, cleaning, utilities, maintenance and applicable charges | Relevant quotations and checks |
| Uncertainty | What changes with fewer nights sold or higher costs | An explicit alternative scenario |
An undocumented field remains ‘to be verified’. Filling it with a national average would create an appearance of precision without answering the question.
Seasonality needs a calendar
An annual forecast is easier to understand when it also shows the monthly distribution of assumptions. In which months will you use the home yourself? Which periods will be offered to guests? When do you plan maintenance work? What information supports the differences between one month and another?
Where relevant historical data is unavailable, the calendar is a working scenario. It is useful to show a more cautious version and identify the costs that remain even when the home is not let. The differences between the two scenarios help identify what information to collect before deciding; they do not measure the probability of an outcome.
Three questions when assessing a proposal
Does the figure relate to this property? If it describes the whole country or a different accommodation category, use it as context and ask for information about the home itself.
Is the number observed or forecast? A booking, a completed stay, income received and a future estimate have different statuses. The document should make these recognisable.
What is left out? Ask whether the amount includes commissions, management, maintenance, periods of personal use and applicable charges. Gross revenue is not the same as the amount available to the owner.
The next step with MGM
For an initial discussion, indicate the location, project of interest, intended personal use and any intention to let. We can identify the relevant areas to explore and check which property-specific information is available.
The buying guide describes the overall process. The island guides help distinguish the islands. An Inspection Tour allows an on-site discussion to be organised around an agreed programme.
Method and limitations. An informational insight from MGM Intelligence. The statistics cited are official aggregate data; the sheet and questions are an editorial framework for organising an assessment. No private data on lettings, property transactions or MGM results has been used. This text is not a property valuation, a return forecast or personalised advice.