El Salvador is experiencing a strong start to its August holiday season, with 41,000 international tourists entering the country in just the first two days, according to the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR).

“We’re doing really well. Our goal was 90,000 international visitors, and by August 2, we had already reached 41,000, which is almost 50% of our target and 14% more than in 2024,” said Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism, during an interview.

The figures are part of a nationwide vacation plan running from August 1 to 7. During this period, the El Salvador International Airport in San Luis Talpa is expected to handle 170,000 passengers, with thousands more arriving via land borders.

Valdez noted a slight increase in visitors from the United States, mostly Salvadorans returning home to visit family and explore local destinations.

Hotel occupancy reflects this surge in activity. The Association of Small Hotels of El Salvador (HOPES) reported that beach resorts are seeing about 90% occupancy, compared to 80% in mountain or rural tourism areas.

Among the top attractions, the historic center of San Salvador stands out. “It’s the king of tourist destinations,” said Valdez. According to APLAN, the area has welcomed 400,000 visitors in the first three days of the holiday week, out of an expected 700,000.

Tourism remains a crucial driver of the Salvadoran economy, contributing 10% to the gross domestic product and supporting over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs. MITUR reported that by the end of 2024, tourism had generated $3 billion in foreign exchange earnings.