El Salvador’s August holiday season closed with 91,000 international visitors, a 6% increase compared to 2024, according to Tourism Minister Morena Valdez in an interview with Radio Fuego 107.7 FM. “Visitors came mainly from the United States, Guatemala, and Honduras, with beaches among the most sought-after destinations,” she said.
For the first time, the National Tourism Registry conducted a survey showing 7,500 formally registered hotel rooms across the country. “These are formal accommodations, and we also have other booking platforms so people can find balanced prices,” Valdez noted. The ministry is also working on strategies to attract more visitors from Europe and South America.
She highlighted the growing appeal of the Surf City projects. “Now Surf City 2 is attracting more people from the eastern region and from our diaspora. This is partly thanks to the security generated by President Nayib Bukele; without that, this would not be possible,” she added. Work is underway to develop Punta Roca before expanding further into Surf City 2.
Tourism development is being coordinated with the Ministry of Public Works, FOVIAL, and other agencies to ensure road access to destinations. According to Valdez, last year tourism generated over $3 billion in foreign income, representing 10% of GDP and supporting more than 300,000 jobs.