The Rezidor Hotel Group is planning its first resort on the Cape Verde island of Sal.

The Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Sal will feature 240 guest rooms and open its doors in third quarter of 2019.

The five-star beach resort is located on Santa Maria, the number one beach location in the country.

The resort will be designed by DSA Architects with a modern minimalistic design, first of its kind in Cape Verde.

“We are delighted to sign this landmark hotel beach resort under our upper-upscale Radisson Blu brand, known for contemporary design, innovative service concepts and unique service philosophy.

“The Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Sal will further strengthen our resort portfolio across EMEA,” said Elie Younes, chief development officer, Carlson Rezidor.

“Rezidor operates and develops some 60 resorts with 14,000 rooms.

“We are equally delighted to partner with East-West SA, a high profile multi-hotel construction and management company established in France and Cape Verde and look forward to successful partnership based on trust, responsibility and delivering results,” added Younes.

The Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Sal will also offer two restaurants, four bars including a unique rooftop destination outlet, 800m2 wellness spa and an iconic swimming pool design with various pools and lounges leading onto a spectacular white sandy beach and ocean.

The beach resort will also offer the largest conference centre in Cape Verde Islands with more than 1,500m2 of dedicated meeting and event space.

Cape Verde is a country spanning an archipelago of ten volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean.

In recent years, economic growth is averaging six per cent as well as major infrastructure improvements including the construction of three international airports.

The island is expected to have received more than 650,000 tourists in 2016, according to the Central Tourist Authority.

Andrew McLachlan, senior vice president business development at Carlson Rezidor, added: “We have a clear Radisson Blu resort development strategy for Africa.

“In 2015, two Radisson Blu Resorts in Mauritius were added to our portfolio: Radisson Blu Azuri Resort & Spa, Mauritius and Radisson Blu Poste Lafayette Resort and Spa, Mauritius.

“The addition of the Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Sal will greatly complement our growing resort portfolio in the best beach locations in the fastest growing resort destination in Africa.”

Radisson Blu is the largest upper upscale hotel brand in Europe, which is the main feeding market of Cape Verde.