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Members of the Finance and Special Budget Committee issued a favorable opinion to grant a new extension that will exempt official foreign missions participating in sporting and cultural events in the country from paying customs, immigration, and consular fees and services. The initiative will soon be brought before the plenary session, where it must be approved or rejected by the full legislature.
The proposal calls for extending the benefits established in Legislative Decree No. 26—originally approved in may 2021—for an additional two years. This decree facilitates international activities by reducing costs for foreign delegations. This measure aims to maintain favorable conditions for attracting sports, arts, and cultural tourism events.
According to officials from the General Customs Directorate, the extension of this benefit is part of a strategy to position El Salvador as a competitive destination for hosting international events, particularly in sports such as surfing, which has gained prominence in recent years.
The benefit would apply not only to official delegations from other countries but also to members of non-profit non-governmental organizations participating in such activities, provided they have no commercial objectives. This broadens the scope of the measure and facilitates the participation of various stakeholders involved in specialized tourism.
In the Legislative Assembly, some representatives highlighted that these types of incentives help strengthen the growth of the tourism sector, which has shown significant expansion and has an impact on areas such as investment and construction. They also noted that ensuring favorable conditions is key to attracting international-level events.
The initiative has been extended several times since its initial approval. After taking effect in 2021 for one year, it was extended in 2022 for an additional two years and again in 2024 for a similar period. This new proposal aims to ensure the continuity of a policy that has been deemed strategic for economic development.
The final decision will rest with the full legislature, which will consider approving this new extension in the coming days, thereby determining whether the country will continue to offer these incentives for hosting international events.
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