A. M. 
El Salvador continues to consolidate its position as a safe and attractive tourist destination with ample development opportunities. Improved safety indicators have allowed tourism to become one of the country’s most dynamic sectors, generating investment, employment, and growth. This progress has brought with it a new challenge: recruiting qualified personnel to provide quality services to domestic and international visitors.
Strengthening human capital is one of the pillars of the government’s strategy for sustainable tourism development. Thanks to implemented policies, the sector has grown from representing 5% to 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating more than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs. With these types of initiatives, El Salvador not only continues to attract visitors but also prepares its people to take advantage of the opportunities this growth offers.
In response to this need, the Ministerio de Turismo (MITUR), headed by Morena Valdez, supported the Centro Cultural Salvadoreño Americano (ICC) in launching a new English Technician program with an emphasis on Tourism Management. The initiative seeks to train bilingual professionals capable of meeting the growing demand in the sector. “In 2024, we will receive 3.9 million visitors, and this year we expect to exceed 4 million. By the first week of october, we have already reached 3 million”, emphasized minister Valdez.
During the presentation, the rector of the ICC, Jorge Castrillo, noted that the tourism boom is closely linked to the country’s improved security. He explained that since last year, the MITUR has called on higher education institutions to promote specialized training programs in tourism, given the growing need for trained personnel. The new program will last three years and will be offered through blended learning and combine intensive English language instruction with tourism management content, designed with the participation of experts and companies in the sector.
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