El Salvador will officially inaugurate the International Religious Tourism Congress: Land of Living Faith, El Salvador 2026 tomorrow, bringing together nearly 500 participants from around the world in a landmark event designed to position the country as a leading destination for faith-based tourism.

Promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and organized in partnership with the Spain-based Tourism and Society Think Tank, the congress is the first international forum of its kind hosted in El Salvador. The event will run through July 10, combining in-person and virtual participation from experts representing religious institutions, academia, and the global tourism industry.

Organizers emphasized that El Salvador possesses exceptional potential to develop religious tourism thanks to its extensive Catholic heritage, historic churches, cultural traditions, and sacred sites located throughout the country. They noted that these assets provide a strong foundation for expanding a tourism segment that continues to grow internationally.

The congress will feature approximately 30 international speakers who will discuss innovation, sustainable tourism, heritage preservation, and the role of faith-based travel in fostering cultural exchange and local economic development.

A key outcome of the event will be the presentation of the El Salvador Manifesto, a document prepared by the congress’s scientific committee that seeks to establish guiding principles for the development and definition of religious tourism across the Americas and beyond.

The initiative reflects El Salvador’s broader strategy to diversify its tourism offering by promoting cultural, historical, and spiritual destinations alongside its internationally recognized beaches, archaeological sites, volcanoes, and colonial towns.

As international tourism continues to expand, the congress represents another step in strengthening El Salvador’s global profile as a destination that combines cultural heritage, faith, and authentic travel experiences.