• Smart luxury is the hottest new travel trend for savvy travellers 

• Cape Verde leads the trend as the stylish alternative to the Maldives, offering five-star escapes with better value and shorter flights. 

• First Choice data ranks Cape Verde in its top five for 2025, with bookings far surpassing the Maldives at less than half the cost. 

14th October 2025: What if your dream holiday didn’t come with an 11-hour flight, a £6,700 price tag, and two days of jet lag? Thousands of UK travellers are making that dream a reality and heading to Cape Verde instead.  

Tropical, turquoise, and trending, offers the five-star escapism of the Maldives, but with better value and less faff. 

Booking data from First Choice shows Cape Verde has climbed into the brand’s top five most-booked destinations for 2025, sitting alongside the most popular holiday destinations like Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Mexico. It now accounts for 4.5% of all bookings and in the past 90 days alone, nearly 300 trips have been booked, compared with just 21 for the Maldives. It’s a clear sign that travellers aren’t giving up on luxury, they’re just being smarter about how they book it. 

But whilst trips start from around £579 per person, First Choice have found that the average Cape Verde booking sits closer to £2.7K – far below the £6.7K average for the Maldives, suggesting travellers are still opting for luxury but taking a savvier approach.  

“Cape Verde proves that a dream holiday doesn’t have to come with a dream price tag,” says Kevin Nelson, First Choice Managing Director. “We’ve seen booking behaviours shift in the last few years due to the cost-of-living crisis, but this data tells us that people are prioritising amazing trips – they just want their money to work harder. Cape Verde delivers long-haul luxury at a smart-haul price.” 

The rise of Cape Verde reflects a wider shift in travel behaviour. New luxury isn’t about distance or exclusivity; it’s about feeling savvy. Travellers are choosing experiences that are smart, beautiful, and balanced rather than luxury for luxury’s sake. Cape Verde hits that sweet spot: a six-hour flight from the UK, 29°C year-round sunshine, no layovers, and all-inclusive resorts that bring five-star flair without the inflated extras. 

Hotel Riu Touareg on Boa Vista is a standout example – six pools (including infinity and swim-up), seven bars, six restaurants, and an adults-only area, all set on a golden beach. It’s indulgent yet accessible… the kind of place that feels like an upgrade, not a splurge.  

Prices from £744* per person include 7 nights in a Twin Room on an All-Inclusive basis, departing Manchester on 18 November 2025. Hand luggage only; transfers not included. 

And for those looking to make the ultimate savings, First Choice is currently offering £250 off select luxury all-inclusive trips on bookings made this month.** 

In 2025, the ultimate travel flex isn’t how far you go, it’s how smart you got there. The data suggests a growing mindset: people still want “wow,” but they also want “worth.” And right now, Cape Verde is leading that charge. It’s more elevated than a standard beach break, far less eye-watering than traditional long-haul escapes, and it delivers luxury with logic.