Coexport Honors ‘Surf City’ as El Salvador’s Service Exports Approach Milestone $3 Billion.
El Salvador’s flagship tourism campaign, Surf City, has been officially recognized as the driving force behind a massive economic transformation. The Salvadoran Exporters Association (Coexport) honored the governmental initiative with the prestigious Service Exporter award during its 47th Outstanding Exporters ceremony, celebrating its success in reshaping the country’s international trade landscape.
En la 47a. Edición de los Premios Exportadores Destacados de @COEXPORT entregó el reconocimiento en la categoría de Exportador de Servicios a #SurfCity🇸🇻, en donde destacó la contribución de esta estrategia ancla del gobierno del Presidente @nayibbukele al posicionamiento de el… pic.twitter.com/HT88F59JHb
Driven by this strategic focus, El Salvador’s service exports have surged, nearing a historic milestone of $3 billion in the first half of the year. This rapid expansion has brought service exports to a near equal footing with traditional goods, propelling the nation to become the third-largest exporter of services in Central America, trailing only Panama and Costa Rica.
Beyond its trade implications, the tourism sector now accounts for 13% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)and sustains over 300,000 jobs. Silvia Cuéllar, President of Coexport, emphasized that the award celebrates the government’s targeted effort to foster rapid industry growth, which is successfully positioning El Salvador as a premier global destination.
Accepting the honor, Tourism Minister Morena Valdez praised the strategy’s contribution to attracting foreign currency and driving local employment, noting: “(The award) highlighted the contribution of this anchor strategy… to positioning the country as an international tourist destination, strengthening service exports, and generating jobs.” Moving forward, private exporters and public agencies aim to sustain this momentum with a targeted 10% annual growth goal.
