Tourism Growth in El Salvador: Visitors, Spending and Surf City
Visitors and spending
| Indicator | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| International visitors | 3.95 million | 4,123,892 |
| Of which tourists (staying overnight) | 3,436,713 | |
| Of which day visitors | 687,179 | |
| Visitor spending (USD million) | 3,410 | 3,635 |
Source: Ministry of Tourism: tourism statistics report 2025; La Prensa Gráfica: tourism in El Salvador closed 2025 with millions of visitors1,2
Visitor numbers rose about 4% and spending about 7% from 2024 to 2025.1,2
Where visitors come from
- United States: 37% of visitors.
- Guatemala: 31%.
- Honduras: 17%.
Source: Ministry of Tourism: tourism statistics report 20251
56% of visitors arrived by land and 44% by air. The international airport handled more than 5.2 million passengers in 2025, residents and visitors together.1,4
Surf City and public tourism projects
- Surf City: building and improving tourism infrastructure on the Pacific coast.
- Surf City 2: the second phase, focused on the east, in Morazán, Usulután, San Miguel and La Unión.
- Historic centre of San Salvador: restoration and maintenance works to bring economic, tourism and cultural activity back to the centre.
- Promotion: national and international campaigns for Salvadoran destinations.
Source: Ministry of Finance: Budget Policy 2026 (PDF, in Spanish)5
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tourists visited El Salvador in 2025?
4,123,892 international visitors, who spent USD 3,635 million, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
How does tourism compare with 2019?
Visitor numbers were about 36% above 2019.
How does the government support tourism?
It funds coastal and eastern tourism infrastructure through the Surf City and Surf City 2 programmes.
Sources
- Ministry of Tourism: tourism statistics report 2025 (in Spanish)
- La Prensa Gráfica: tourism in El Salvador closed 2025 with millions of visitors (in Spanish)
- Congressional Research Service: El Salvador in Brief, 6 October 2026
- CEPA: the international airport closes 2025 with growth (in Spanish)
- Ministry of Finance: Budget Policy 2026 (PDF, in Spanish)
Figures checked 8 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.
