Unesco heritage award 'would boost Cape Verde'

Cape Verde's property and tourism markets would be boosted by the award of Unesco world heritage status to a candidate site on the island of Santiago, it has been stated.

The country's first capital - Cidade Velha - is on the list of candidate sites to be considered by the United Nations body, Afrol.com reported earlier this month.

Commenting on the effect this would have on the island, sales executive at Cape Verde Property David Endersey said: "Anything like that will help. Anything like that if they get a Unesco thing, or a World Heritage centre, anything like that is bound to encourage tourism to a certain extent."

Such a development may embolden those interested in buy-to-let for tourist rental purposes.

The elevation of Cidade Velha - which is now an uninhabited ruin but was the capital from 1462 to 1770 - would put it on a par with sites on the Unesco list such as the Taj Mahal, Sydney Opera House and Stonehenge.