The number of tourists staying in Cape Verde’s hotels and hostels increased by 5.5 percent year-on-year in 2015, the country’s National Statistics Institute announced on Tuesday.

According to data from the hotel industry compiled by the bureau, the African nation welcomed more than 569,000 guests last year.

The United Kingdom remained the main source of tourists, accounting for 22.2 percent of total check ins in Cape Verde hotels in 2015. British guests also had the longest duration of stay last year, at 8.9 nights on average.

Visitors from Germany accounted for 13.4 percent of check ins at local hotels and hostels, while tourists from Portugal accounted for 10.9 percent, the bureau added in a statement.

Cape Verde’s Sal island was the most popular destination among tourists, receiving 43.2 percent of hotel guests in the country.

The country’s Prime Minister José Maria Neves said last week Cape Verde’s tourism industry would grow strongly in the next few years, also helping other parts of the economy.

Mr Neves was speaking at a ceremony marking the start of construction work of what is termed an integrated leisure entertainment project, developed in Cape Verde by gaming services company Macau Legend Development. The Macau-based firm said it would invest at least 250 million euros (US$273.7 million) in the project.