Participating in the World Cup for the first time, the Cabo Verde team impressed when they only lost to Argentina after extra time. 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha became the focus with a series of saves against Argentine strikers, including Lionel Messi, causing Cabo Verde to almost defeat the opponent to advance to the next round.
Despite losing, the impressive performance of the Cabo Verde team at the 2026 World Cup has made tourists curious about this small island nation.
According to data from Global Times cited from Trip. com, as of the end of June, searches for Cabo Verde by Chinese tourists increased by 388% compared to the same period last year and increased by 852% compared to the previous month. Air ticket bookings to this island nation increased by 76%, while hotel bookings increased by 46%.
Meanwhile, Tongcheng Travel said that in just 24 hours after the match between Argentina and Cabo Verde on July 4, Cabo Verde searches as a tourist destination increased by more than 200% compared to the previous week. Users in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shandong are the most interested groups.
The demand for booking tours to explore West Africa is also increasing rapidly, especially routes combining Cabo Verde with Lisbon or tours exploring many islands. Data from HopeGoo - an international platform belonging to Tongcheng Travel - shows that the search volume for connecting flights from Hong Kong (China) to Cabo Verde through Europe increased about 12 times in just one week.
The World Cup effect also spread strongly on Chinese social networks. The topic "Carbo Verde loses but wins the whole world" attracted more than 410 million views as of July 5. Chinese actor Ma Sichun expressed his desire to set foot in Cabo Verde one day to explore the small but competitive country.
Located about 500 km off the coast of West Africa, Cabo Verde is an island nation of 10 volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a population of more than 500,000 people. This country belongs to the Macaronesia archipelago along with Madeira, Canary and Azores, famous for its volcanic landscape, beaches and unique ecosystem.
Cabo Verde has about 350 sunny days per year, creating favorable conditions for year-round resort tourism. Each island has its own identity thanks to the intersection of Creole, African and European cultures.
In addition to natural landscapes, Cabo Verde also attracts tourists with a cuisine imbued with local imprints. Cachupa - a traditional stew combining corn, beans, vegetables with meat or seafood - is considered a culinary symbol of the island nation and an unmissable experience for many tourists.
