A. M. 
El Salvador closed 2025 with a record 4.1 million international visitors, solidifying tourism as one of the main drivers of the country’s economic growth. This was highlighted by the president of the Instituto Salvadoreño de Turismo (ISTU), Eny Aguiñada, during a radio interview, where she emphasized that this result marks one of the best years for the national tourism sector.
According to the official, this figure reflects the positive shift the country has experienced in terms of security, tourism infrastructure, and international promotion, factors that have strengthened visitor confidence and improved El Salvador’s competitiveness as a regional destination.
Main tourist source markets
Aguiñada detailed that Guatemala positioned itself as the leading country of origin for international visitors, with 1.5 million tourists, representing a 13% increase compared to 2014. The United States ranked second with 1.3 million visitors, a 1.3% increase, followed by Honduras with 792,000 tourists, a figure reflecting a 6% year-on-year increase.
These figures, she indicated, confirm the importance of regional tourism and land connectivity, especially with neighboring countries, as key factors for the sector’s sustained growth.
High influx of domestic tourism in December
Regarding domestic tourism, the president of ISTU noted that in december 5.9 million visits were recorded to national parks, beaches, and tourist sites, including the Christmas Village and the Historic Center of San Salvador, where thousands of families came to enjoy the cultural and recreational activities held during the end-of-year festivities.
This trend, she explained, demonstrates greater participation of salvadoran families in local tourism, which also boosts the economy of municipalities and strengthens small businesses.
Most visited destinations and infrastructure improvements
Among beach destinations, Metalío, in Acajutla, ranked among the top four most visited tourist sites during the season, a result that the official attributed to infrastructure improvements and better connectivity, especially for visitors from Guatemala.
ISTU also presented the top 5 most visited tourist destinations in the country: Parque Natural Balboa, Parque Natural Puerta del Diablo, Sunset Park, Parque Natural Cerro Verde and Parque Recreativo Amapulapa.
With these results, tourism is consolidating its position as a strategic sector for the salvadoran economy, generating employment, attracting investment, and strengthening El Salvador’s international image.
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