Berlin, 20 January 2023

Tourism for development on Cape Verde

New TUI Academy and TUI Field to Fork projects launched

  • TUI Academy Cape Verde provides 350 young people on Sal and Boa Vista with hospitality training
  • TUI Field to Fork in Cape Verde empowers local food production on Sal and creates new income opportunities for the local population
  • These projects are the first of a set of initiatives which build on the potential of tourism as a force for economic and social development in Cape Verde

Tourism is the main source of income for many inhabitants on the islands of Cape Verde. The sector has been the main engine for development for the archipelago in the last decade. To further drive positive impact and use the full potential of tourism for Cape Verde, the TUI Care Foundation has developed an ambitious programmatic agenda. The first two projects to support the vulnerable communities on Sal and Boa Vista have now been launched.

Tourism is the main employer in Cape Verde. However, only few young people, especially from underprivileged communities, have the possibility to pursue professional hospitality training.  With the launch of the TUI Academy Cape Verde, 350 students will now receive professional hospitality training for eight months. The training consists of a combination of theoretical lessons provided by the School of Tourism and Hospitality of Cape Verde (EHTCV) and five months of practical training at a tourism business, which includes a network of hotels from both within and beyond the TUI network. The theoretical lessons started mid-December. The programme is specially designed for underprivileged young people from Sal and Boa Vista to access high quality education, work experience, life skills coaching – and a brighter future.

The TUI Field to Fork Cape Verde supports the local food producer Milot Hydroponics on Sal. Sal is an island that lacks fertile land suitable for agriculture, therefore it had always depended on imports to supply fresh products to the population. With the project, fresh organic products ranging from limes, avocados, and mangos to cucumbers, lettuce, and carrots, are now produced locally through hydroponic technology on 18.000 square meters of land. New green jobs are created and training for vulnerable young people is provided to gain professional experience in hydroponic agriculture. The project also leads the way to a sustainable supply chain for the 12 biggest hotels and resorts on the island.

Both projects support the local communities on the Cape Verdean islands of Boa Vista and Sal. Building on the positive impact of tourism, the TUI Care Foundation wants to lead the way in protecting the natural environment and empowering lives on Cape Verde.

About TUI Care Foundation

Building on the potential of tourism as a force for good, the TUI Care Foundation supports and initiates partnerships and projects, which create new opportunities for the young generation and contribute to thriving communities all over the world. Connecting holidaymakers to good causes, the TUI Care Foundation fosters education and training initiatives to open up new opportunities and perspectives for young people, the protection of the natural environment in holiday destinations and sustainable livelihoods in thriving destinations where local communities can benefit even more from tourism. TUI Care Foundation works global and acts local – it builds on strong partnerships with local and international organisations to create meaningful and long lasting impact. The charitable foundation values transparency and the efficient use of funds. Therefore 100% of the donations go to destination programmes with all administration costs of the foundation covered by TUI. TUI Care Foundation was founded by TUI, the world’s leading tourism business, and is based in the Netherlands.

About Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo de Cabo Verde

The Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo de Cabo Verde (School of Hospitality and Tourism of Cape Verde – EHTCV) has the mission to promote the development of skills for the exercise of professional activities in the areas of hospitality, catering and tourism.
The vision of this academic institution is to become a technological training centre of reference in the development of skills and promotion of knowledge in the areas of Hospitality, Catering and Tourism. This can be achieved by capitalising on the geostrategic position and competitiveness of Cape Verde.

About MILOT Hydroponics

MILOT Hydroponics Ltd. is a family business founded in 2001 and based in Sal Island, which grows vegetables using hydroponic techniques. The main objective that motivated the creation of the company and the production method choice was to provide the island of Sal with an infrastructure that would make it possible to overcome the scarcity of vegetables in the local market, essentially derived from the lack of fertile land and suitable soils for the practice of agriculture on the island. Today, the company, focused on innovation and sustainability, produces, commercialises and distributes diversified and high-quality products to the entire local market.

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