A. M. 
Tourism is an economic boost for the development of El Salvador, therefore the Ministry of Tourism continues to generate opportunities for young people with the Gastro-Lab Surf City Project. This initiative seeks to strengthen the gastronomic and tourism offer of the country, and recently announced an international cooperation project that will include the exchange of experiences between El Salvador and Peru.
The main objective of the project is to improve the operational and management capacities of the Gastro-Lab Surf City program, as well as the Laboratorio de Innovación Gastronómica CET y del Centro de Formación en Turismo (CENFOTUR). This exchange will also benefit young people, teaching and administrative staff, who will receive training from Peruvian experts to improve the quality of local gastronomy.
The inaugural session was attended by prominent figures such as the Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdez, and representatives of cooperation agencies from both countries. The Minister highlighted that this alliance will allow El Salvador to adopt the good gastronomic practices of Peru, known worldwide for its culinary excellence, which is key to improving the tourism sector.
The exchange between the two countries will include visits by delegations, who will share knowledge about gastronomy training and its role in promoting tourist destinations. This component is crucial to strengthen the local economy and position El Salvador as an emerging gastronomic destination.
This project is the result of the agreements reached during the VII Technical and Scientific Meeting between El Salvador and Peru, demonstrating the commitment of both countries to promote mutual development. The Agencia de El Salvador para la Cooperación Internacional (ESCO) and the Agencia Peruana de Cooperación Internacional (APCI) are leading this cooperation effort, which will not only benefit the tourism and gastronomy sectors, but also vulnerable communities.
Gastro-Lab Surf City, part of the Surf City strategy, operates in key areas of tourism development in La Libertad, Santa Ana and La Unión. In addition to boosting the local economy, these laboratories address problems of food insecurity, reaffirming the government’s commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth in the neediest areas of the country. With this strategic alliance, tourism and gastronomy are consolidated as engines of development for El Salvador.
