The Resort Group was founded by Rob Jarrett in 2007. Recognising the outstanding natural beauty of Cape Verde, Mr Jarrett was determined to open the world’s eyes to the islands’ potential as an up-and-coming tourist destination. His ambitions were realised in 2009 when The Resort Group entered into an agreement with Melia Hotels International to manage their resorts on Sal Island. The Resort Group subsequently scaled new heights as an award-winning resort developer, transforming the tourism industry of Cape Verde.
Today, The Resort Group operates a comprehensive range of resorts, including Melia Tortuga Beach Resort & Spa, the group’s first resort, which was recognised as Cape Verde’s leading hotel in the World Travel Awards for an unprecedented five years. Other popular resorts created by The Resort Group include Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa, Melia Llana Beach Resort & Spa and TUI Sensimar Cabo Verde.
At all of The Resort Group’s destinations, guests are encouraged to participate in local events, celebrating local culture and gaining an authentic taste of island life. Fully embracing local celebrations, The Resort Group’s strong and long-standing commitment to Cape Verde is demonstrated through its significant investment in tourism infrastructure, community development and social initiatives. The Resort Group established The Cape Verde Foundation with the mission of helping underprivileged Cape Verdean children and families through the provision of healthcare and education initiatives.
On 5th July 2025, Cape Verde celebrated 50 years of independence from Portuguese rule. Regarded as one of the most stable countries in West Africa today, Cape Verde has come a long way over the course of the last half-century in terms of overcoming issues like inadequate healthcare and low literacy.
As the Cape Verdean politician Guarlberto do Rosario points out, many regard Cape Verde as a beacon for other African countries, with the country scoring better than its neighbours in various indices. Take for example the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in which Cape Verde scores above average compared with other African nations. These worldwide targets for 2030 cover enabling sectors such as health, education and poverty reduction.
In the arenas of healthcare and education in particular, Cape Verde has made significant advancements over the course of the last 50 years. Antonio da Silva is the current executive secretary of the Civil Society Commission and a former freedom fighter. As a young man, he fought against Portuguese rule in Guinea-Bissau as part of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde. As Mr da Silva suggests, there was great poverty in Cape Verde in 1975 that is hard to imagine today. He asserts that the greatest progress has been achieved in education. Whereas in those days there were hardly any secondary schools, today education is widely accessible and regarded as a critical component in social advancement. Whereas 65% of the population was illiterate in 1975, today that figure stands at just 3%.
Healthcare has also improved significantly in Cape Verde over the last half a century. In 1974, the islands were home to just 13 doctors and two hospitals, whereas today hundreds of medical professionals live and work in Cape Verde, with most islands now benefiting from their own hospital.
Staged on 5th July every year, Independence Day is a nationwide celebration of Cape Verde’s break from Portuguese rule and just how far the islands have come. With a population of more than 500,000 today, Cape Verde ranks as one of Africa’s most stable and developed nations, with the country’s fight against drought and poverty having shaped the islanders’ will to survive, helping them to progress even under challenging circumstances.
