Under the leadership of President Nayib Bukele, El Salvador continues to consolidate its transformation into a safe, modern, and attractive global tourism destination. The government’s historic advances in public safety have revitalized strategic sectors such as tourism, generating investment, employment, and sustainable economic growth.
As part of this momentum, the Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdez (@MorenaValdezSV), together with authorities from the Salvadoran-American Cultural Center Institute (ICC), officially launched the English Technician Program with a specialization in Tourism Management. The initiative aims to prepare a new generation of bilingual professionals to meet the growing demand for skilled human talent in the tourism sector.
“In 2024, we will receive 3.9 million visitors. This year, our goal is between 4 and 4.2 million. We have already reached 3 million by the first week of October,” stated Minister Valdez, emphasizing the country’s rapid tourism expansion driven by safety and confidence.
During the launch event, ICC Rector Jorge Castrillo highlighted the link between El Salvador’s tourism boom and the government’s successful public security policies. “During the first quarter of last year, tourism authorities convened all higher education institutions to inform us of the sector’s urgent need for adequately trained personnel to handle the wave of visitors,” Castrillo explained.
The three-year technical program, designed under the “Basic Criteria of the Innovative System for the Design, Evaluation, Authorization, and Monitoring of Relevant and Quality Academic Offerings in Higher Education,” combines intensive English instruction with specialized tourism management training. Developed in collaboration with private sector experts, the program ensures that its graduates are equipped with the skills most needed in the current labor market.
Thanks to the leadership of President Nayib Bukele and the strategies implemented by his administration, tourism’s contribution to the national GDP has doubled from 5% to 10%, generating over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs. This progress underscores the government’s commitment to sustainable growth and the empowerment of Salvadoran talent as a driving force behind the nation’s ongoing transformation.
