Cape Verde Prime Minister outlines priorities for air transport; some realistic, others not so much
Before the coronavirus pandemic – which stopped it dead in its tracks – Cape Verde, the Atlantic Ocean archipelago which is right on the operational limits for leisure airlines flying out of Europe (its main market), had witnessed impressive tourist growth, mainly generated by charter airlines. The government is now trying to pick up the pieces by reverting to an imposition on the national airline to satisfy the demands of the country’s diaspora and to kick-start tourism again. As part of the package it is rewriting the country’s aviation code which, inter alia, might help define PSO routes more readily.
But there is more to it than that. Along with most other countries Cape Verde faces an uncertain future. Will tourists return at all? If not, how can we encourage them to? They are an important feature of the economy.
The answer may lie in a better understanding of which organisation is best suited to which task – point-to-point leisure services; providing for the needs of nationals; and hubbing activities from what could be a geographically advantageous situation.
Having a respected private sector airport operator in charge might help, and finding a concessionaire is a priority too for the government.
But finding the right one might also prove not to be so easy.
- Cape Verdean Prime Minister wants to connect the country to the world as air services resume.
- The aviation regulatory regime of Cape Verde has been scrutinised and its revision will be a major plank of the new order.
- Opportunities should arise for fly-cruise vacations as a maritime terminal is built.
- The national carrier Cabo Verde Airlines (CVA) is only just getting going again, but will be tasked, as before, with providing for the country’s diaspora and building tourism.
- But other airlines, including charters, may be better at (re-)building point-to-point tourism and CVA might prefer to focus on a hubbing role.
- Creating low cost demand doesn’t get any easier in West Africa.
- Concessioning out the airports remains a target for the government but operators would probably want to cherry pick.
Objective: “connect the country with the rest of the world”
Cabo Verde's Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, has outlined the government's transport priorities to “unify” the domestic market, which is spread across 10 islands, and to “connect the country with the rest of the world.” The government intends to implement the following air transport initiatives:
- Revision of legal and regulatory frameworks for civil aviation;
- Promotion of low cost operations;
- Concession and management of airports, which will be followed by investments in all the country's airports and airfields;
- A fund for civil aviation training;
- A legal regime for public service obligation routes;
- Remodelling and expansion of the terminal at São Filipe Airport on the island of Fogo, which is in the award phase (unlike some of Cape Verde’s other islands, notably Sal and Boa Vista, Fogo is not tourist-oriented);
- Separately, interisland maritime transport is to be improved.
