Within the framework of the Christmas season and the end of the year, officials from the Tourism Cabinet reported that the government is ready to guarantee optimal care for around 400,000 international and national tourists who arrive in El Salvador through the international airport or the different border points.
In this sense, Morena Valdez reported that for the remainder of the year, only in the high season (between November and December), it is expected that at least 400,000 visitors will enter El Salvador for tourism, which could generate more than $365 million in foreign currency for this item.
The official explained that from January to October, there were an estimated 1.9 million international visitors, therefore, with the flow of visitors in the last two months of the year, it is expected to reach 2.4 million international tourists arriving in the country. .
Regarding foreign currency income, according to tourism data, the number of visitors registered between January and October last year left the country with more than $2,077 million versus $1,367 million in the same period of 2019. However, it should be noted that the goal established for this year ($1,591 million) has been exceeded by 31%, according to Valdez.
“That is why the World Tourism Organization has placed us among the 16 countries that have increased their foreign exchange earnings compared to 2019; let us remember that the tourism sector was the hardest hit (by the pandemic),” said the minister.
In this same scenario, according to the projections, the different recreational parks, managed by the Salvadoran Tourism Corporation (Corsatur), the Salvadoran Tourism Institute (ISTU), the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Marn), and the Ministry of Culture, could reach 6.2 million visits by the end of 2022. “We have never had so many visits to national parks,” Morena Valdez said in this regard.
For his part, the president of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA), Federico Anliker, said that “it is important to highlight that 54% of foreign visitors arrive in El Salvador by air; therefore, the commitment of the government of President Nayib Bukele is to guarantee a smooth and fast experience for passengers in the different contact areas, such as inspection points, disembarkation, and baggage claim.”
Likewise, the official declared that “since the arrival of President Nayib Bukele to the Executive, El Salvador has reached historic levels of security, economy, investment, and tourism, and that is why the country is now among the best destinations to travel in 2023. El Salvador is now a safe tourist destination to enjoy,” he said.
In addition, Anliker explained that, after the recent expansion, the airport has the capacity to mobilize more than five million passengers, where 13 commercial airlines operate, connecting with 30 destinations in 14 countries. “Only from January 1 to November 20, 2022, we served 3 million passengers,” he added.
On the other hand, according to official data, the tourist care plan will be made up of more than 1,600 employees, including personnel in air operations, customer service, cleaning, security, rescue, medical, and response teams, Customs, Immigration, the National Civil Police (PNC), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), and the Ministry of Health (Minsal).
In addition, 70 members of the National Academy of Public Security and Transit Managers of the Vice Ministry of Transportation (VMT) will join to serve travelers on highways and tourist sites.