Tourism leaders from the Mundo Maya region — Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Belize — have praised El Salvador’s improved public safety as key to boosting tourism. Their comments came during the Mundo Maya summit in Placencia, Belize, where regional stakeholders met to relaunch the brand that celebrates the Mayan heritage shared across these countries.
Under President Nayib Bukele, El Salvador recorded 149 days without a homicide in the first half of 2025, a historic achievement that has drawn international attention.
“The issue of security is very visible in El Salvador, there has been a substantial change, and this is extremely important for tourism,” said José Nieves, Director of International Relations at DayPaas.com. He noted that destinations like Joya de Cerén add unique value to the regional tourism offering.
Carlos Cruz, Sales Manager at Integro in Guatemala, also praised the progress. “I’m very impressed with what El Salvador has achieved. The security it has consolidated is what the region has been missing,” he said. “A safe country attracts more than anything else.”
As the Mundo Maya brand looks to position the region as a unified cultural destination, El Salvador’s security success is seen as a major advantage.