El Salvador has emerged as the largest exporter of “creative goods” in Central America, according to a recent report by the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (Sieca). In 2023, El Salvador exported more than $169.9 million in creative goods, accounting for 42.3% of the total creative goods exports in the region.

Creative goods, often referred to as part of the “orange economy,” include a range of products related to creative, cultural, and talent-driven industries, such as design, artistic crafts, prints, media, and audiovisual works. Sieca’s report highlighted that Central America collectively exported $401.5 million in creative goods in 2023. Of this total, El Salvador led the charge, followed by Guatemala with $140.4 million, Costa Rica with $53.1 million, and Honduras with $28.9 million.

El Salvador’s performance in the sector is notable, as it was the only country in the region to see growth in exports of creative goods between 2022 and 2023. Salvadoran exports rose by 8.6%, from $156.4 million to $169.9 million, while other countries in the region saw declines. Costa Rica experienced an 11.5% drop, Guatemala fell by 1.6%, and Honduras saw a slight decrease of 0.6%. Panama and Nicaragua reported significant declines of 58.4% and 81.8%, respectively.

Sieca also identified key destinations for creative goods exports from Central America. Central America itself was the largest recipient, receiving 47.4% of the region’s creative goods exports, valued at $190.1 million. The United States followed as the second-largest destination, importing $175.3 million, or 43.7% of the total. Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and the European Union were also among the destinations, though their share of the market was smaller.

El Salvador’s growing presence in the orange economy underscores its expanding role as a regional leader in creative industries and the export of cultural and talent-driven goods.