El Salvador has received more than 50,000 cruise tourists over the past decade, according to data from the Central American Tourism Integration Secretariat (Sitca). From 2009 to 2023, the Central American region and the Dominican Republic hosted over 24,000 cruises, bringing in a combined 49 million cruise tourists.

Sitca’s statistics show that El Salvador welcomed 56,000 cruise visitors on 65 ships during this period, with 32.1% of these arrivals occurring in 2023 alone.

Between 2010 and 2016, cruise arrivals to El Salvador fluctuated between 1,000 and 2,000 tourists annually. In 2017, the numbers surged as the country welcomed eight cruise ships carrying over 7,000 visitors. While 2018 saw a decline, 2019 brought a rebound, with over 8,000 tourists arriving on nine vessels.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted global tourism, including maritime travel. In 2020, El Salvador received just one ship with 1,000 cruise tourists. Both 2009 and 2021 saw no cruise arrivals at all.

The past two years have marked a recovery, with over 25,000 cruise tourists arriving on 18 ships—almost half of all maritime arrivals since 2009. The most recent cruise to dock in El Salvador was the Crystal Serenity in January 2023, bringing 1,200 tourists who explored local attractions such as Joya de Cerén, Los Volcanes Complex, Apaneca, and Izalco.

Despite these gains, El Salvador accounted for just 0.11% of cruise arrivals in the region over the past decade. The majority of cruise tourists visited Honduras (28.13%), Belize (26.12%), and the Dominican Republic (24.11%). Smaller shares went to Panama (10.05%), Costa Rica (8.04%), Guatemala (2.01%), and Nicaragua (1.43%).

In 2023, the region registered over 27 million travelers, including tourists and day visitors. Of these, 11.6% traveled by sea, 16% by land, and 72.4% by air.

While El Salvador’s share remains modest, the country’s recent growth in cruise tourism highlights its potential as an emerging destination in the region.