Tourism, Surf and MICE in El Salvador
The market
The United States sent 37% of visitors in 2025, Guatemala 31% and Honduras 17%; 44% arrived by air. Visits from Guatemala rose 13% and from Honduras 6%, according to La Prensa Gráfica. Travel made up 59.3% of the USD 6,213.5 million of services El Salvador exported in 2025, according to SIECA.1,2,7
About 3% of visitors in 2025, more than 120,000 people, came for medical treatment, according to the tourism corporation CORSATUR.8
Surf and the coast
Surf City is a government programme in five phases to improve public spaces and tourism infrastructure on the coast. Phase I includes a wastewater plant at Playa El Tunco, the boardwalk at Puerto de La Libertad and works at El Cuco and Las Flores. Phase II, in the east, is to be funded with a USD 106 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank.3
El Sunzal hosted the ISA World Longboard Championship for the fourth year in a row in October 2026, with 32 national teams. Punta Roca and La Bocana have also hosted international surf events.11,12
Meetings and events (MICE)
The international fair and convention centre CIFCO has had no venue of its own since its old site became Hospital El Salvador during the pandemic. Preparatory work for a new CIFCO began in May 2026 on 55,711 m² of the El Espino estate in Antiguo Cuscatlán, funded with non-reimbursable aid from China. No capacity or opening date has been published, and the work has been criticised for the removal of trees.4
Incentives and checks
- Tourism Law: Projects of National Tourist Interest of USD 25,000 or more can get a 10-year income tax exemption, import duty and property transfer tax exemptions, and up to 50% municipal tax relief for 5 years. Ask MITUR in writing whether the application window is open.
- Legal stability: INVEST says the legal stability law gives tax, customs and migration certainty for up to 20 years.
Source: Tourism Law, consolidated text (Ministry of Finance, PDF, in Spanish); INVEST: tourism infrastructure sector5,6
Homicides have fallen sharply under the state of exception in force since March 2022, while human rights groups report mass arbitrary detention under the same measures. Check your country’s travel advice and insurance terms for guests and staff.9,10
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tourists visit El Salvador?
El Salvador received 4,123,892 international visitors in 2025, who spent USD 3,635 million, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
Where do visitors come from?
The United States sent 37% of visitors in 2025, Guatemala 31% and Honduras 17%.
What incentives exist for tourism projects?
New tourism projects of USD 25,000 or more can apply for a 10-year income tax exemption under the Tourism Law.
Sources
- Ministry of Tourism: tourism statistics report 2025 (in Spanish)
- La Prensa Gráfica: tourism closes 2025 with more than 4.1 million visitors, 6 January 2026 (in Spanish)
- Ministry of Tourism: Surf City programme (in Spanish)
- El Diario de Hoy: work starts on the new CIFCO at the El Espino estate, 29 September 2026 (in Spanish)
- Tourism Law, consolidated text (Ministry of Finance, PDF, in Spanish)
- INVEST: tourism infrastructure sector
- Diario El Mundo: El Salvador is the third country in the region by services exports, SIECA (in Spanish)
- Dinero: more than 120,000 tourists visited El Salvador in 2025 for medical reasons, CORSATUR
- Congressional Research Service: El Salvador in Brief, 6 October 2026
- Human Rights Watch: El Salvador, mass trials a mockery of justice (7 October 2026)
- El Diario de Hoy: the El Sunzal 2026 Longboard Championship ends, 22 October 2026 (in Spanish)
- Surf City El Salvador: events
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
