The Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) anticipates a record-breaking year for El Salvador’s tourism sector in 2025, with projections of over 4.2 million international visitors. This marks a significant increase from the 3.9 million visitors recorded at the end of 2024, surpassing the government’s earlier forecast of 3.8 million visitors for the year.

Minister of Tourism Morena Valdez highlighted the country’s thriving tourism industry during an interview on Frente a Frente. She noted that El Salvador is set to host five surfing tournaments and two golf tournaments in 2025, events expected to further boost tourism.

“In 2024, we received 3.9 million visitors, and this year we anticipate welcoming around 4.2 million, possibly even more if this growth trend continues,” Valdez stated in an interview with Noticiero Hechos. She emphasized the rise in overnight stays, with 80% of visitors, approximately 3.2 million people, spending at least one night in the country, compared to 2.4 million in 2023. The number of day-trippers decreased to around 777,000 in 2024, down from over a million in 2023.

Valdez affirmed El Salvador’s leadership in the Central American tourism sector, boasting a 17% growth in visitor numbers. While the economic impact of tourism in 2024 has yet to be disclosed, the minister highlighted a shift in visitor demographics. In 2024, 39% of tourists came from the United States, a decrease from 43% in 2023. Guatemala accounted for 26% of tourists, with Honduras contributing between 15% and 16%.

“Our challenge is to maintain strong markets like the United States, Guatemala, and Honduras while increasing our share of visitors from the rest of the world,” Valdez stated. She also emphasized the importance of addressing industry challenges, including service improvements, pricing, quality, and workforce training.

Mitur plans to collaborate with the Salvadoran Tourism Chamber (Casatur) and the Salvadoran Tourism Corporation (Corsatur) to tackle these issues and further strengthen El Salvador’s tourism industry.