El Salvador is the fastest-growing tourism destination on the continent

The latest barometer published by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), places the country as the fourth worldwide in increasing its tourist arrival figures compared to pre-pandemic numbers.

The tourism efforts of President Nayib Bukele’s government have resulted in an unprecedented positioning for this Central American nation. The latest barometer published by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), places the country as the fourth worldwide in increasing its tourist arrival figures compared to pre-pandemic numbers.

In the international ranking, the country, with 35% more tourists in comparison with 2019, is placed only below Qatar (91%), Saudi Arabia (50%), and Albania (49%), thus placing it as the first in the American continent to show these positive figures.

“El Salvador is confirmed as the fastest growing tourist destination in the entire Western Hemisphere”, reacted President Nayib Bukele in his X account, after the UNWTO publication.

On several occasions the Government, through the Tourism portfolio, has remarked that these figures are due to the results in social security, the Surf City strategy, and the positioning of the country as an attractive destination for world-class events, which guarantee the massive arrival of tourists.

It should be noted that the country closed in 2023 with the registration of 3.4 million international tourists who left the historic figure of $3,793 million in foreign exchange. On a domestic scale, 10 million people were mobilized among the different public spaces, without counting the attractions of the numerous private attractions.

Among the top 15 in the world, the Dominican Republic (11) also stands out in the UNWTO barometer with an increase of 21%, and neighboring Honduras, is in 15th place, with 17% more tourists.

The report of the latest measurement of the organization, which was carried out between June and September 2023, foresees that international tourism closed in 2023 close to 90 % of the pre-pandemic levels.

“International tourism recovered 87 % of pre-pandemic levels in the January-September 2023 period (-13 % vs. 2019), supported by continued pent-up demand in the third quarter of 2023,” the publication highlights.

Source: Diario El Salvador