Category: Tourism

Many people outside El Salvador know the country mostly from news about security, politics, or Bitcoin. But in Santa Ana, there is a quieter, older story that has been growing for forty years in corrals, show rings, and family ranches. The Feria Ganadera Nuestra Señora Santa Ana, now marking its 40th anniversary, shows a different side of who we are and how we live.

From rail yards to regional landmark

Founded in 1986

The livestock fair was founded in 1986 and was originally held on the grounds of Ferrocarriles Internacionales de Centroamérica (IRCA), in the old Finca Modelo—today the Indes sports complex on the northwest side of Santa Ana.

What began as a local initiative to bring ranchers and buyers together has grown into the largest and most important livestock fair in El Salvador, a reference point not only for the western region but also for the national cattle industry.

Building its own home

As the years passed, the fair moved from borrowed rail land to its own facilities. This change reflects something bigger: livestock production became more professional, breeder associations grew stronger, and Santa Ana became a center for agro-industrial activity in western El Salvador.

A fair that shapes the herd: genetics and productivity

Center of cattle trade and breeding

Every year, the fair gathers over 350 cattle from various ranches and breeds, with a focus on animals with strong genetics. It is now the main place in El Salvador to buy and sell registered cattle, breeding stock, and stallions, which are key to improving herds across the country.

Filiberto Guerra, president of the Asociación Feria Ganadera Nuestra Señora Santa Ana and a second-generation rancher, describes the fair as “the largest center for the purchase of registered cattle and cattle for breeding and stallions in the country,” emphasizing its role in genetic improvement and the overall development of Salvadoran livestock.

Genetics as a quiet transformation

In El Salvador, rural livelihoods are often overlooked. The fair’s focus on genetics is not just a technical matter—it shows a long, steady effort to:

• Improve productivity: Better genetics mean more milk, more meat, and more resilient animals.
• Raise standards: Registered cattle and judged competitions push ranchers toward record‑keeping, health controls, and selective breeding.
• Connect El Salvador to the region: The fair brings together breeders and judges from across Central America, putting Salvadoran cattle into a broader discussion of quality and innovation.

This is a story of progress that rarely gets attention. Small and medium producers are investing in better animals, improved practices, and a stronger rural economy.

Fiestas Julias: where faith, family, and livestock meet

A patronal destination

The fair is one of the main attractions of the Fiestas Julias in Santa Ana Centro, the city’s patronal celebrations. Every year, around 100,000 visitors pass through the fairgrounds, making it a preferred destination for locals and visitors alike.

Here, the religious calendar, city celebrations, and the farming cycle come together. Livestock producers are part of city life, bringing their animals, families, and traditions into the center of the festivities.

Beyond corrals: a full cultural program

The fair is not only about cattle. Its program includes:

• Jaripeos and ribbon races: Rodeo‑style events and traditional horseback competitions.
• Judging and contests: Formal evaluations of cattle and popular competitions like the “vaca lechera” (dairy cow).
• Concerts and music: Daily concerts with orchestras and national groups, blending rural identity with contemporary entertainment.
• Gastronomy and family spaces: Food stalls, typical dishes, and areas designed for families to spend the day together.

In this blend of livestock, music, and food, you can see another side of El Salvador—one that values work, land, and community as part of its culture.

Forty years of continuity: families, identity, and pride

A generational legacy

The fair’s history is also a family story. Juan Guerra, one of the founders, handed leadership to his son, Filiberto, who now heads the association. This passing of knowledge from one generation to the next is common in Salvadoran rural life, where families share what they know about animals, land, and markets.

In 2026, Valeria Sofía Reyes Viera was crowned Reina de la Asociación Feria Ganadera, bringing together youth and tradition. She stands for a new generation joining a legacy built over forty years, showing pride in local roots and a willingness to embrace the future.

Identity beyond stereotypes

When we talk about El Salvador, we rarely talk about:

• The breeders who spend years improving a bloodline.
• The families who plan their year around the fair.
• The young people who see livestock not as a relic of the past, but as a modern, technical field with regional reach.

These stories are part of El Salvador’s identity. The Santa Ana Livestock Fair shows the country as a place of continuity and care, where people invest in animals, land, and community for many years.

A different side of El Salvador

While national stories often focus on economic numbers or security statistics, the 40th anniversary of the Feria Ganadera Nuestra Señora Santa Ana encourages us to look more closely at the everyday forces driving change.

Here, development is not a slogan; it is:

• A fairground built from scratch over forty years.
• A herd improved, animal by animal, through careful breeding.
• A city that welcomes 100,000 visitors to celebrate work, faith, and festivity together.

This livestock fair is more than just an event. It is a living record of how El Salvador’s rural and urban worlds come together and grow. Visiting the fair shows a country that is more than its headlines—a place of ranchers and families, music and jaripeos, genetics and tradition, all gathering under the lights of Santa Ana’s Fiestas Julias.

If you like stories about El Salvador’s growth, economy, tourism, culture, environment, and ongoing change, please like, comment, and share this article.

A reflection on movement, family, and the quiet transformation of our national destinations

El Salvador is becoming a country on the move.

From January through June 2026, domestic tourism generated 4.7 million recorded visits to destinations across the country, according to figures from the Ministry of Tourism. Salvadorans, foreign residents, and other visitors traveled to beaches, parks, mountain towns, cultural sites, and historic districts on weekends, holidays, and vacations.

That number represents more than people passing through a gate or arriving at a beach. It reflects a change in how Salvadorans see their own country.

Families are getting into their cars on Saturday morning and heading somewhere together. Couples are spending an afternoon in the Historic Center of San Salvador. Friends are visiting the mountains, walking through a national park, or sitting beside the ocean with food and conversation.

Little by little, Salvadorans are rediscovering the country they call home.

A Small Country With Many Choices

One of El Salvador’s greatest strengths is the variety found within such a small area.

A person can leave the city in the morning, reach the mountains before lunch, and finish the day watching the sunset over the Pacific. Beaches, volcanoes, lakes, forests, colonial towns, archaeological sites, and modern public spaces are all within a few hours of one another.

The latest tourism figures show that people are taking advantage of that variety.

Surf City continues to attract international travelers, while Costa Azul and Barra de Santiago remain popular along the western coast. Protected natural areas, the Route of Las Flores, and the Historic Center of San Salvador are also receiving strong numbers of national and international visitors.

Each destination offers something different.

Surf City provides waves, restaurants, hotels, and the energy of a growing coastal destination. Barra de Santiago offers a quieter connection to nature, mangroves, and traditional seaside life. The Route of Las Flores brings together mountain scenery, colorful towns, local food, crafts, and weekend markets.

The Historic Center of San Salvador offers another kind of experience. Its plazas, restored buildings, churches, restaurants, museums, and public events have transformed the capital’s center into a place where families once again gather.

Together, these destinations tell the story of a country learning to appreciate its own beauty.

National Parks Are Becoming Weekend Retreats

The country’s recreational and natural parks are also playing an important role in this growth.

The Salvadoran Tourism Institute reported that its 18 parks received 235,758 visitors during June alone. The five most visited were:

• Apulo Recreational Park: 35,392 visitors
• Puerta del Diablo Natural Park: 31,005 visitors
• Cerro Verde Natural Park: 27,423 visitors
• Amapulapa Recreational Park: 23,696 visitors
• Ichanmichen Recreational Park: 18,370 visitors

These numbers reveal what many Salvadorans are looking for: fresh air, open spaces, affordable recreation, and places where the family can spend time together.

A national park does not need luxury hotels or expensive attractions to matter. Sometimes people simply need a place to walk, sit beneath the trees, share a meal, let the children play, and step away from the pressures of everyday life.

Apulo offers water and recreation close to the capital. Puerta del Diablo combines dramatic views with one of the country’s most recognizable natural landmarks. Cerro Verde provides cooler temperatures and views of the surrounding volcanoes. Amapulapa and Ichanmichen offer pools, trees, and spaces that generations of Salvadoran families have enjoyed.

These places are not new, but the way people are returning to them feels new.

Tourism Begins With a Family Outing

Large tourism reports usually speak about visitor totals, investment, hotel occupancy, and economic growth. All of those things are important.

But domestic tourism often begins with something much simpler.

It begins when a family decides not to stay home on Sunday.

They may pack food, gather the children, call a relative, and leave early in the morning. They might spend only a few dollars, but those dollars move through the community. They pay for fuel, parking, entrance tickets, lunch, cold drinks, souvenirs, or something handmade by a local artisan.

One family outing may seem small. Thousands of family outings taking place every weekend create an economy.

A Source of Income for Local Communities

Tourism supports far more than hotels and large restaurants.

It helps the woman selling pupusas beside the road. It helps the fisherman supply seafood to a small coastal restaurant. It helps the artisan producing handmade gifts, the young person working as a guide, the family operating a guesthouse, and the driver transporting visitors between destinations.

The steady flow of visitors drives economic activity for restaurants, hotels, artisans, transportation providers, and other small businesses connected to tourism.

This is especially important in rural and coastal communities, where weekend visitors can make the difference between a slow month and a successful one.

Every meal purchased, room rented, entrance fee paid, and locally made product sold becomes part of a much larger chain. That money stays active. It supports jobs, families, suppliers, and future investment.

Tourism is not only recreation. For many Salvadorans, it is a livelihood.

Safety Has Changed the Way People Move

There is also a part of this story that should not be ignored.

For many years, Salvadorans did not always feel free to travel wherever they wanted. Some communities, roads, parks, and public spaces were avoided because people worried about crime or crossing into unfamiliar territory.

That fear shaped daily life.

Today, many families travel with a level of confidence that would have been difficult to imagine several years ago. They visit places they once avoided, stay out later, walk through public squares, and allow their children to enjoy spaces that previously felt uncertain.

That change cannot always be measured in a tourism chart.

It is measured when parents feel comfortable taking their children to a park. It appears when a family drives across the country without worrying about entering the wrong neighborhood. You can see it when public spaces remain active after sunset and when visitors return home talking about what they enjoyed rather than what they feared.

The growth of domestic tourism is partly the story of Salvadorans reclaiming their freedom of movement.

Tourism and the Responsibility to Protect What We Enjoy

Growth also brings responsibility.

More visitors mean more pressure on beaches, forests, parks, roads, water systems, and local communities. Trash, uncontrolled construction, damage to natural areas, and overcrowding can quickly weaken the very places attracting people.

We should enjoy these destinations, but we must also care for them.

Visitors can help by taking their trash home, respecting protected areas, supporting responsible local businesses, and treating communities as homes rather than temporary playgrounds.

Authorities and private developers also carry responsibility. Tourism growth should include proper sanitation, environmental protection, safe infrastructure, fair access, and long-term planning.

Success should not be measured only by how many people arrive. It should also be measured by the condition in which we leave these places for the next generation.

A Country Becoming Its Own Destination

For many years, tourism discussions focused mainly on attracting foreigners. International tourism remains extremely important, but domestic tourism provides something equally valuable: stability.

Foreign travel can rise or fall because of airfare, economic conditions, world events, or changing trends. Salvadorans traveling within their own country provide a more consistent foundation for restaurants, parks, hotels, tour operators, and community businesses.

They also become ambassadors.

A Salvadoran who discovers a beautiful beach, mountain village, park, or historic site will tell relatives, share photographs, return with friends, and recommend the place to visitors from abroad.

Domestic tourism builds pride from within.

The 4.7 million visits recorded during the first six months of 2026 show that El Salvador is no longer only presenting itself as a destination to the rest of the world. It is becoming a destination for its own people.

That may be one of the most meaningful transformations of all.

A country changes when its citizens begin seeing familiar landscapes differently. A beach becomes more than a coastline. A park becomes more than trees and walking paths. A historic street becomes more than old buildings.

They become places where memories are made.

They become part of the family story.

They become reminders that sometimes we do not have to travel far to find something beautiful.

Sometimes it has been here all along.

If you enjoy stories about El Salvador’s growth, economy, tourism, culture, environment, and continuing transformation, please like, comment, and share this article.

Cerro Cacahuatique began the week with the sound of footsteps, voices, and the quiet determination of people who understand what it means to care for a mountain.

In the district of Osicala, Morazán Sur, municipal workers, community organizations, students, water boards, and other institutions gathered for a reforestation day in one of eastern El Salvador’s most important water-recharge areas.

This was not simply a ceremonial planting or an opportunity to take photographs beside a few young trees. The activity forms part of a larger reforestation plan with an ambitious goal: planting 30,000 trees during the rainy season.

That number matters. However, the real importance of this project is not found only in the number of seedlings placed in the ground. It is found in the water that those trees may help protect the soil they may hold in place, and the communities that will depend on that mountain long after the planting crews have gone home.

A Mountain That Sustains Communities

Cerro Cacahuatique is much more than a beautiful geographic feature on a map of Morazán.

Its springs, forests, and micro-watersheds help supply water to communities in Chilanga, San Francisco Gotera, San Carlos, Yamabal, and other areas extending into northern San Miguel. Studies of the region have found that many residents depend on water sources located along the mountain’s slopes.

In that sense, the mountain serves as a natural reservoir.

Rain falls across its slopes and filters into the soil. Forests slow the movement of water, reduce erosion, and help the ground retain moisture. Springs and streams then carry that water toward the communities below.

When trees disappear, the natural system weakens.

Bare or damaged soil cannot hold water as effectively. Heavy rain runs quickly down the slopes, carrying valuable soil with it. Streams can fill with sediment, while springs may produce less water during the dry season. The damage may begin high on the mountain, but families living many kilometers away eventually feel the consequences.

This is why reforestation on Cacahuatique is not only an environmental project. It is an investment in water security, agriculture, and the daily lives of thousands of Salvadorans.

A Responsibility Shared by Many

One of the most encouraging parts of this effort is the number of groups working together.

The reforestation day included representatives from the municipal government, the Departmental Government of Morazán, PADECOMS, Lutheran World Relief, ASPS, ACUGOLFO, the Armed Forces, local water boards, Civil Protection commissions, and other community participants.

Each organization may approach the mountain from a different perspective. Some focus on water. Others work in agriculture, community development, health, emergency response, education, or local government. On this day, however, they shared one purpose: protecting the landscape that supports the entire region.

That cooperation is important because environmental restoration cannot succeed through the work of a single institution.

A government agency may provide trees. Municipal workers may prepare the land. Community organizations may identify the areas facing the greatest risk. Water boards understand which springs and systems are most vulnerable. Farmers know where erosion is damaging their soil. Residents provide the long-term care that young trees need after the official event has ended.

When these groups work together, reforestation becomes more than a one-day activity. It becomes part of a larger commitment to the territory.

Students Learning Through Their Hands

Students from the National Institute of Osicala also participated in the reforestation effort. Their presence added another level of meaning to the day.

Young people can learn about forests, climate, and water conservation in a classroom. Those lessons are important, but there is something different about placing a seedling into the soil with your own hands.

A student who plants a tree may return years later and see that it has grown taller than they are. They may remember the morning they carried it up the slope, covered its roots, and gave it its first water.

That experience creates a personal connection with the land.

It teaches that environmental care is not an abstract idea reserved for experts or government officials. It is something ordinary people can practice. It also reminds young Salvadorans that the future of their communities will eventually become their responsibility.

The trees planted during this rainy season may still be standing when today’s students are raising families of their own.

Reaching Beyond Cerro Cacahuatique

The broader reforestation plan will not be limited to a single area of the mountain.

Trees are also expected to be distributed to places damaged by fires, other water-recharge zones, and properties where farmers and producers want to conserve their soil and restore degraded land.

This broader approach makes sense.

Environmental damage rarely remains within a single boundary. Fire, erosion, deforestation, drought, and poor land management affect entire watersheds. Restoration must therefore extend across hillsides, farms, forests, and communities.

A tree planted on agricultural land can help hold the soil together. Trees placed near a spring can provide shade and protection. Reforestation in a fire-damaged area can begin to restore habitat and reduce future erosion.

No single planting campaign can repair every damaged landscape. However, progress often begins this way—one hillside, one farm, one community, and one rainy season at a time.

Planting Is Only the Beginning

Reaching the goal of 30,000 trees would be a significant achievement, but planting them is only the first step.

Young trees need protection. Some will require water when rainfall becomes irregular. Others may need barriers to prevent livestock from damaging them. Communities must watch for fires, illegal cutting, pests, and other threats.

Survival matters more than the number planted during the opening campaign.

A seedling placed in the ground and forgotten may not live through its first dry season. A tree monitored and protected by the community has a much better chance of becoming part of the forest.

That is why the participation of local residents, students, farmers, and water boards is so valuable. Institutions can begin a project, but the people who live around the mountain will ultimately determine whether it succeeds.

Real restoration takes patience. Forests do not return overnight, and damaged water systems do not recover after a single rainy season. The work may take years, but every mature forest began with young trees taking root.

A Quiet Form of National Progress

When we speak about El Salvador’s transformation, most attention naturally goes toward visible projects: new roads, hospitals, schools, tourism centers, airports, markets, and public spaces.

Those developments matter. They are signs of movement and investment.

Environmental recovery is often quieter.

It happens on a mountain slope far from the capital. It happens when community members protect a spring, when farmers change the way they manage their land, or when students spend a morning planting trees instead of sitting behind their desks.

There may be no ribbon cutting when a hillside slowly becomes green again. Yet the benefits can last for generations.

Protecting Cerro Cacahuatique means protecting part of El Salvador’s natural infrastructure. The mountain collects water, supports agriculture, provides habitat, and helps communities face the increasing uncertainty of drought, irregular rainfall, and extreme weather.

That work deserves the same seriousness we give to concrete, steel, and public construction.

Caring for a Place We May Never See

Those of us living in western El Salvador may be far from Morazán, but projects like this still matter to us.

Our country is small, and its environmental systems are connected. The mountains, forests, rivers, wetlands, and coastal areas may belong to different regions, but together they sustain the nation.

What happens on Cerro Cacahuatique affects the families who turn on a faucet, fill a water container, irrigate a crop, or depend on a community water system. Their concerns may be local, but the lesson belongs to all of us.

Water does not appear by accident. It comes from landscapes that must be respected, managed, and protected.

The people planting trees in Osicala are caring for something they may never personally own. They are working for neighbors they may never meet and for children who have not yet been born.

There is something deeply hopeful in that.

A Promise Planted in the Soil

A reforestation day may seem small when compared with the size of a mountain. A single seedling may appear fragile beneath the surrounding trees.

Yet every restored forest begins with such a moment.

Someone carries a young tree to the right place. Someone opens the soil. Someone covers its roots and trusts that the rain will help it grow.

Years later, that tree may provide shade, hold back erosion, shelter wildlife, or help water filter into the earth. The person who planted it may never see its full height, but the community may still receive its benefits.

Un árbol plantado en silencio puede cambiar el futuro de una comunidad.

A tree planted today is a promise kept for the generations that follow.

Cerro Cacahuatique gives water to its communities. By caring for the mountain, those communities are now giving something back.

If you enjoy stories about El Salvador’s development, economy, tourism, culture, environment, and continuing transformation, please consider liking, commenting, and sharing this article.

Across El Salvador, change is becoming increasingly visible. New homes, commercial developments, roads, public buildings, logistics centers, and major infrastructure projects are reshaping both the capital and communities beyond it.

Behind that activity is one of the strongest construction performances in Central America.

According to data from the Executive Secretariat of the Central American Monetary Council (SECMCA), El Salvador’s construction sector recorded year-on-year growth of 18.5% through April 2026. That placed the country at the top of the regional ranking and well ahead of most neighboring economies.

This is more than another encouraging statistic. Construction requires planning, financing, materials, workers, transportation, permits, and confidence that tomorrow will offer enough stability to justify investing today.

When all those pieces begin moving together, they tell us something important about a country’s direction.

El Salvador Establishes a Clear Regional Lead

The regional figures presented by SECMCA show a noticeable difference between El Salvador and the rest of Central America:

• El Salvador: 18.5%
• Nicaragua: 11.9%
• Costa Rica: 1.5%
• Honduras: 0.7%
• Guatemala: Updated 2026 figures were not available

Nicaragua posted a respectable result, but El Salvador’s rate was still approximately 55% higher. The difference becomes even more striking when compared with Costa Rica and Honduras, where construction activity remained nearly flat.

That does not mean every construction project is the same or that each country faces identical economic conditions. It does, however, show that El Salvador has developed unusually strong momentum within one of the economy’s most important industries.

What Is Driving the Construction Boom?

Buildings do not rise simply because a government announces a new policy or because a developer purchases a piece of land. Construction expands when investors believe projects can move forward, customers believe they can make long-term commitments, and businesses see enough opportunity to risk their capital.

Luis Rodríguez, executive director of the Office of Planning for the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, or OPAMSS, has connected the sector’s performance to stronger cooperation between public institutions and private enterprise.

“Continuing to lead construction growth in the region is only possible through alliances between the public and private sectors,” Rodríguez said, adding that the boom is helping position El Salvador as a development hub in Central America.

That cooperation matters. Private developers need efficient approval processes and clear rules. Government agencies need responsible businesses that will create jobs, comply with safety requirements, and contribute to organized urban development.

Neither side can transform the country alone.

Security Has Changed the Investment Conversation

Housing Minister Michelle Sol has also emphasized the role of national security and investor confidence in the sector’s expansion.

“El Salvador leading construction growth in Central America is not a coincidence,” she said. “It is the result of a clear vision, of generating confidence for investment, and above all, of the security achieved thanks to the president’s decisions.”

For years, insecurity affected nearly every part of life in El Salvador. It influenced where people could live, where businesses could operate, how construction workers traveled, and whether investors were willing to invest in certain communities.

When companies feared extortion, theft, or territorial restrictions, even a promising project could become too risky. Those conditions did not only hurt large corporations. They affected contractors, hardware stores, transportation companies, architects, engineers, equipment operators, and ordinary laborers.

Today, the investment conversation is changing.

Projects that once appeared uncertain are moving forward. Communities previously overlooked by developers are receiving greater attention. Businesses can plan with greater confidence that their workers, materials, and property will be protected.

Security alone cannot build an economy, but economic confidence is difficult to sustain without it.

Construction Leads a Broader Economic Expansion

The building boom is not taking place in isolation.

El Salvador also led growth in overall economic activity in the Central America and the Dominican Republic region during April 2026. The country recorded a year-on-year increase of 5.78%, placing it ahead of Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua, according to the regional figures.

That broader performance suggests construction is part of a larger acceleration rather than a temporary surge limited to one industry.

The Central Reserve Bank reported that El Salvador’s gross domestic product grew by 4.8% during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025. GDP reached approximately $9.26 billion, an increase of more than $604 million.

Construction was the country’s most dynamic economic activity during the quarter, expanding by 13.5%. It was followed by mining and quarrying at 11.1% and transportation and storage at 7.6%. Hotels and restaurants also performed strongly, growing by 7.1%.

Seventeen of the 19 economic activities measured by the BCR posted positive results. Together, those growing sectors represented more than 80% of national GDP.

These figures show that the country’s progress is becoming more widely distributed across the economy.

Public and Private Projects Are Moving Together

The BCR attributed construction’s strong first-quarter performance to a mixture of private and public investment.

Housing, commercial buildings, and logistics developments have attracted private financing. At the same time, the government continues to invest in roads, schools, airports, public facilities, and other infrastructure.

One of the most visible examples is the Pacific International Airport, a strategic project intended to improve connectivity and bring new economic opportunities to eastern El Salvador.

Public works of this scale can produce benefits far beyond the construction site. Better roads reduce transportation time. Modern airports improve access to markets. New schools support education. Logistics facilities help companies move products more efficiently.

Private projects have a different but equally important role. Residential construction responds to housing demand, while offices, hotels, stores, warehouses, and industrial developments support business expansion.

When both forms of investment grow together, they can reinforce one another. Public infrastructure makes private development more attractive, while expanding businesses increase demand for improved services and transportation.

One Project Supports Many Different Jobs

Construction is sometimes measured by the number of permits issued, square meters built, or dollars invested. Those measurements are important, but they do not show the full human impact.

A single development may employ architects, engineers, electricians, plumbers, welders, masons, carpenters, painters, machine operators, truck drivers, security personnel, and administrative workers.

The project also creates demand for cement, steel, glass, lumber, electrical supplies, plumbing materials, paint, tools, fuel, food, transportation, and professional services.

This is why construction can become such a powerful economic engine. Money invested in a building does not remain inside its walls. It moves through a wide network of businesses and households.

The BCR noted that the sector’s expansion increased demand for labor, materials, transportation, and professional services, strengthening activity in other parts of the economy.

For a small supplier, a new contract can mean the ability to hire another employee. For a construction worker, steady employment can provide greater security for a family. For a young Salvadoran learning a skilled trade, the industry can offer a future without leaving the country in search of opportunity.

Housing Must Remain Part of the Story

Minister Sol correctly pointed out that every project can help bring the dream of homeownership closer to Salvadoran families.

That is an important goal, but it is also where the country must remain focused.

Luxury apartments, commercial towers, hotels, and large developments are signs of investor confidence. However, the true measure of progress will include whether working families can find safe, decent, and affordable housing.

The construction boom creates an opportunity to address long-standing housing needs. That will require cooperation among government institutions, private developers, banks, community organizations, and the families hoping to purchase or improve a home.

Economic growth should not only change skylines. It should improve neighborhoods and expand opportunities for people at different income levels.

A strong construction industry gives El Salvador the tools to pursue both goals.

Growth Must Be Planned Responsibly

Rapid development also brings responsibilities.

Cities must consider traffic, drainage, access to water, waste management, green spaces, public transportation, and the ability of local services to support a growing population. Poorly planned construction can create problems that last for decades.

OPAMSS and municipal authorities therefore have an important role. Faster permit processing can encourage investment, but speed must not replace proper oversight.

El Salvador needs modern development that respects safety standards, protects the environment, and fits into a wider vision for each community.

The goal should not be to build everywhere simply because investment is available. It should be about building wisely, creating places that will continue to serve Salvadorans long after the current boom has passed.

Can El Salvador Exceed the 2026 Forecast?

SECMCA has projected that El Salvador’s economy could grow between 3% and 3.5% by the end of 2026.

With GDP already expanding by 4.8% during the first quarter and construction continuing to lead the region through April, there is reason for optimism. However, one strong quarter does not guarantee the final result.

Global trade conditions, energy costs, interest rates, commodity prices, extreme weather, and developments in the United States can still influence El Salvador’s performance.

Even so, the country enters the second half of 2026 with encouraging momentum. Public investment remains active, private developers continue to announce projects, and infrastructure improvements are creating new possibilities for commerce, tourism, housing, and logistics.

The challenge now is to maintain that progress without losing sight of affordability, transparency, environmental protection, and the needs of ordinary Salvadorans.

What These Numbers Mean for Salvadoran Families

Economic reports can sometimes feel distant from daily life. Percentages and regional rankings may sound impressive, but people naturally want to know what they mean at home.

In practical terms, a growing construction sector can mean:

• More jobs in skilled trades and general labor
• Additional business for local suppliers and contractors
• Greater demand for transportation and professional services
• New homes and residential communities
• Improved roads, schools, airports, and public facilities
• Expanded opportunities for young people to learn technical skills
• Increased commercial activity in developing areas

Not every family will experience those benefits immediately. Progress rarely reaches every community at the same speed. Still, the economic connections created by construction are broad, and the potential impact extends far beyond developers and property owners.

People can see this kind of growth. They see it in cranes above the capital, road crews working across the country, new businesses opening, neighborhoods expanding, and projects beginning in areas where little investment once occurred.

A Country Building More Than Structures

El Salvador’s 18.5% construction growth is an important achievement, but the larger story is about confidence.

It reflects businesses willing to invest, institutions working to modernize, laborers finding employment, and communities preparing for new possibilities.

The country is building homes, roads, airports, businesses, and public facilities. At the same time, it is building a reputation as a place where projects can advance, and long-term plans can become real.

There is still much work ahead. Housing must remain affordable. Development must be organized. Public resources must be used responsibly, and the benefits of expansion must reach communities throughout the country.

Those are not reasons to dismiss the progress. There are reasons to manage it carefully.

For now, El Salvador stands at the top of Central America’s construction ranking, supported by one of the region’s strongest rates of overall economic activity. That position represents more than concrete and steel.

It represents jobs, movement, opportunity, and a growing belief in the country’s future.

El Salvador is not simply building new structures. It is building momentum—and people across the region are beginning to notice.

If you enjoy stories about El Salvador’s development, economy, tourism, culture, and continuing transformation, please consider liking, commenting, and sharing this article.

 

Some stories about a country’s progress are easy to see. They appear in new roads, safer towns, busy beaches, modern hospitals, and families walking through places that once felt difficult to visit.

Other stories are quieter.

They move through factories, farms, laboratories, shipping routes, business meetings, certifications, and products that leave El Salvador carrying the name of this country into markets around the world.

That is what the 2026 edition of Featured Exporters, organized by COEXPORT, represents.

According to reporting by Alonso Rosales in ContraPunto, this year’s recognized companies account for 29% of El Salvador’s national exports. That is not a small number. It is a sign that Salvadoran businesses are no longer only looking inward. They are learning to compete beyond the country’s borders, and they are doing so with higher quality, greater organization, and more confidence.

A Country Learning to Compete Beyond Its Borders

For many people, exports may sound like something distant — something discussed by economists, business leaders, or government officials. But exports are not only numbers on a report.

They are jobs.

They are an investment.

They are training.

They are products made by Salvadoran hands and carried into markets where quality, reliability, and standards matter.

Behind every successful exporter are workers, managers, farmers, technicians, drivers, designers, inspectors, and families who depend on the strength of the productive sector. That is why these awards matter. They show a part of El Salvador’s transformation that does not always receive the attention it deserves.

COEXPORT’s Featured Exporters awards are now in their 47th edition, making them one of the most established recognitions in the country’s business sector. This year’s event is scheduled for July 14 and will honor companies that continue pushing Salvadoran products and services into international markets.

The Numbers Tell a Story of Growth

The companies recognized this year surpassed US$220 million in exports during 2025 and generated nearly 4,000 direct jobs. Those numbers alone are important. But the broader picture shows something even larger.

Four key sectors — Plastics, Food and Beverages, Chemical-Pharmaceutical, and Tourism — reached US$3,686 million in exports in 2025, representing 29.2% of El Salvador’s total exports.

That tells us something important.

El Salvador’s economy is not standing still. It is becoming more diverse. It is building strength in sectors that require planning, consistency, investment, and a serious commitment to quality.

Food and beverages carry Salvadoran flavor into other countries. Plastics support manufacturing and supply chains. The chemical-pharmaceutical sector reflects technical capacity and regulation. Tourism, in its own way, exports the experience of El Salvador itself — its beaches, mountains, culture, food, history, and hospitality.

Together, these industries show a country that is becoming more connected to the world.

A New Standard for Salvadoran Exporters

What stands out to me is that COEXPORT is not only recognizing volume. It is also looking at how companies are growing.

The evaluation includes areas such as technological innovation, environmental sustainability, digital transformation, international certifications, and quality standards.

That matters because exporting today is very different from what it was years ago.

It is no longer enough to simply produce something and ship it. Companies now have to prove they can meet international requirements. They must understand markets, protect quality, follow regulations, improve processes, and keep up with changing technology.

This is the new language of global commerce.

And Salvadoran companies are learning to speak it.

That should encourage the country, because every company that reaches international standards helps raise the expectations for the next one. It opens a door for other businesses. It shows small and medium-sized companies that exporting is not just a dream for large corporations. With discipline, guidance, and persistence, it can become a real goal.

Eight Categories That Show the Breadth of Salvadoran Talent

The 2026 awards will recognize exporters across eight categories:

COEXPORT Exporter Award
Featured Exporter
Exporter Trajectory
Central American Exporter
Services Exporter
SME Exporter
Innovation Exporter
Women Exporter

Each category tells a different part of the same story.

There are companies with years of experience that continue to open new markets. Small businesses are stepping into foreign trade for the first time. There are service providers demonstrating that El Salvador can compete on knowledge, not only on physical products. There are innovators using technology to improve their processes. There are women entrepreneurs leading businesses and strengthening value chains.

That variety is important.

It shows that the Salvadoran export sector is not limited to a single industry, product, or type of company. It is becoming broader, more flexible, and more prepared for the demands of a changing global economy.

“Exporting Is No Small Achievement”

Silvia Cuéllar, president of COEXPORT, said something that should not be overlooked. She explained that exporting is not a minor achievement. Every company that reaches that level has spent years investing, entering new markets, and meeting quality standards in competition with global rivals.

That is exactly right.

Exporting requires patience. It requires money. It requires paperwork, planning, contacts, certifications, consistency, and trust. A company cannot simply decide one day to sell abroad and expect success to happen overnight.

It takes time.

It takes discipline.

It takes people who are willing to keep going when the process becomes difficult.

Cuéllar also pointed out that El Salvador is not only exporting more but also exporting differently, with a broader, more value-added offering.

That may be one of the most important messages in this story. Growth is good, but smarter growth is even better. A country that depends too heavily on a limited number of products can become vulnerable. A country that diversifies its exports builds more resilience.

Exporting Is a Network

Another important detail is the number of partners involved in this year’s event. Around 600 people are expected to attend, with support from companies and institutions connected to logistics, ports, finance, transportation, hospitality, food, beverages, coffee, and industry.

That tells us something simple but powerful.

Exporting is not an isolated effort.

A product does not reach another country because of a single company. It takes ports, shipping, packaging, banking, customs processes, air travel, hotels, suppliers, and business relationships. It takes an entire network moving in the same direction.

When that network works, the country benefits.

When it becomes stronger, more companies can participate.

And when more companies participate, more Salvadorans feel the impact through jobs, income, and opportunity.

A Reflection From the Ground

Living here in El Salvador, I see progress in many forms. Some of it is very visible. Some of it is quieter.

This story belongs to the quieter kind.

Most people will not see the meetings where exporters negotiate with buyers. They will not see the inspections, training, quality checks, or the lengthy process of obtaining certifications. They may never see the shipping documents, the production lines, or the late nights spent solving problems before an order leaves the country.

But all of that work matters.

It matters because each successful exporter carries a part of El Salvador into the world. It matters because every product that competes abroad helps shape how others see this country. It matters because strong exports can support formal jobs, encourage investment, and help build confidence in the national economy.

From Cara Sucia to San Salvador, from small towns to industrial areas, from family businesses to larger companies, El Salvador is moving.

Not perfectly.

Not without challenges.

But steadily.

The Featured Exporters 2026 awards are more than a ceremony. They are a reminder that the country’s economic future is being built by people who produce, innovate, certify, ship, serve, and compete.

Behind every statistic are workers, risks, investments, and dreams carried across borders.

And in that movement, you can feel the quiet but steady pulse of a country redefining its place in the world.

If you enjoy stories about El Salvador’s culture, development, tourism, and transformation, please consider liking, commenting, and sharing this article.

Some foods carry a simple kind of happiness, and for me, strawberries have always been one of them.

I enjoy them fresh, blended into milkshakes, sliced over cereal, or served with ice cream. They are bright, sweet, and comforting. So when I read about El Rincón de las Fresas, or The Strawberry Corner, in Río Chiquito, Chalatenango, it immediately caught my attention.

This small farm in the mountains is doing more than growing fruit. It is becoming part of a bigger story about rural tourism, family effort, and the new opportunities opening across El Salvador.

A Farmer, a Hillside, and a Vision

In the cool highlands of Chalatenango, in the canton of Río Chiquito, a local producer named Santos Vásquez decided to take a chance on a crop that is not common in many parts of El Salvador: strawberries.

Four years ago, he planted strawberries on half a manzana of land. With patience, care, and the advantage of the mountain climate, that small decision has grown into something much larger.

Today, his farm produces around 200 pounds of strawberries per harvest. Visitors can come directly to the farm, walk among the plants, pick their own fruit, and meet the farmer behind the project.

That direct connection is one of the things that makes this story special. There are no middlemen between the producer and the visitor. People can see where the fruit comes from, talk with the person who grows it, and enjoy the product in the same place where it was harvested.

That is agriculture with a human face.

To strengthen his family’s income, Santos also grows spinach and passion fruit. This gives the farm more variety and helps create a small, productive ecosystem that supports both the land and the household.

A Simple Visit With a Sweet Reward

What began as a strawberry patch has now become a small but charming agrotourism destination.

For only $1, visitors can enter the farm, walk through the rows, and taste strawberries fresh from the plant. It is a simple experience, but sometimes those are the ones people remember most.

There is something different about eating food close to where it was grown. It connects you to the land in a way a supermarket never can. You see the plants, feel the air, meet the producer, and understand the work behind something that many of us enjoy without thinking much about it.

The farm also offers homemade products made with strawberries, including:

• Strawberries with cream
• Ice cream
• Yogurt
• Jams and jellies
• Semitas with strawberry jam

For visitors who want to stay longer, lodging is also available, starting at $50 per person, depending on the size of the group.

That makes El Rincón de las Fresas more than a quick stop. It can become a quiet mountain getaway, surrounded by cool air, fruit plants, flowers, gardens, and the peaceful views of Chalatenango.

Tourism Growing in Rural El Salvador

One of the important parts of this story is what it says about rural tourism in El Salvador.

For many years, places like Río Chiquito may not have received the attention they deserved. People often thought first about beaches, large towns, or the more famous destinations. But El Salvador has many different faces.

It has the Pacific coast, yes. But it also has mountains, cold mornings, farms, forests, and communities where people are building something with their own hands.

Local entrepreneurs say that improved security across the country has helped encourage more Salvadorans to travel, explore, and support small destinations like this one. Families are visiting places they may have overlooked before. Small producers are finding new ways to earn income. Communities are beginning to see tourism not only as something for big hotels or major attractions, but as something that can grow from the land itself.

That shift brings real benefits.

It creates more local consumption. It increases commercial activity. It gives rural families new opportunities. It also helps small agricultural projects gain visibility.

A strawberry field may seem small at first glance. But in a rural community, one good idea can become a spark for something larger.

A Climate Made for Strawberries

Chalatenango is one of the most beautiful regions of El Salvador, and its higher elevations offer a climate very different from the heat many people associate with the country.

In some areas, temperatures can drop to around 5°C. That cool mountain weather creates good conditions for crops like strawberries, which need a climate very different from the lowlands.

This is part of what makes Río Chiquito special. It reminds visitors that El Salvador is not just beaches, surf, and sunshine. It is also misty mornings, cold air, mountain roads, small farms, and fruit grown in quiet places.

That variety is one of the country’s strengths.

The more people explore El Salvador, the more they discover how much is packed into this small nation. You can be at the beach one day and in the mountains the next. You can eat seafood on the coast, then travel north and enjoy strawberries in a cool highland village.

That is a beautiful thing.

Support From Plan Trifinio

Projects like El Rincón de las Fresas also show the importance of support programs that help small producers develop tourism opportunities.

The farm receives support from Plan Trifinio, an initiative led by the Vice Presidency of El Salvador. Its goal is to promote agrotourism, strengthen rural economies, and help producers build sustainable projects connected to the natural beauty of the region.

The idea is simple but powerful: use what a community already has — land, climate, crops, scenery, and local knowledge — to create new opportunities for the people who live there.

That kind of development matters because it does not erase the identity of a place. It builds from it.

A farm remains a farm. A producer remains connected to the land. But now visitors can come, learn, taste, buy, and help support the family behind the work.

A Sweet Example of Rural Innovation

El Rincón de las Fresas is more than a tourist stop. It is a story of perseverance, creativity, and rural innovation.

Santos Vásquez saw possibility in a hillside and decided to try something different. He planted a crop that required patience and care. He opened the farm to visitors. He added homemade products. He created a small destination where agriculture and tourism work together.

That is how progress often begins. Not always with something large or noisy, but with one family, one piece of land, and one idea carried forward with determination.

For anyone who loves strawberries, this sounds like a place worth visiting.

For anyone who loves El Salvador, it is a story worth celebrating.

Because stories like this show a country growing in more than one way. They show rural families creating opportunities. They show visitors discovering new corners of the nation. And they remind us that sometimes, development can begin with something as simple and sweet as a strawberry.

Please give this post a like and share it if you find it interesting. It really helps us.

And if you’re drawn to true-life stories that explore how experience shapes the soul — confronting reality, searching for meaning, and discovering the quiet spiritual guidance that helps us endure — you may find resonance in my memoir, Harmony of the Cosmos, available now on Amazon.

There is something special happening between El Salvador and Honduras.

For many years, crossing the border into El Salvador may have felt like a cautious decision for some travelers. People came for business, family visits, shopping, or a short beach trip, but many did so with concerns that were hard to ignore.

Today, that feeling has changed.

According to a recent report from Diario El Salvador, more Honduran travelers now see El Salvador as one of their favorite destinations. They are coming for the beaches, markets, pupusas, historic places, family connections, and the simple pleasure of visiting a country that feels safer, more welcoming, and easier to explore.

This is not just tourism. It is a sign of renewed confidence between two neighboring countries that share more than a border. We share history, culture, food, family ties, and many of the same hopes for the future.

A New Sense of Safety

One of the strongest reasons Hondurans are visiting El Salvador more often is security.

The change in public safety has affected many areas of daily life here, and tourism is one of them. When people feel safer, they travel more freely. They walk through markets. They visit parks. They take photos. They bring their families. They return home and tell others what they experienced.

That kind of word-of-mouth is powerful.

In the Diario El Salvador report, Honduran merchant Norma Zavala, from Gracias, Lempira, explained that she has traveled to El Salvador for 12 years to buy Salvadoran-made goods. Her purchases include handicrafts, aprons, keychains, dresses, and purses.

For her, the difference today is clear. She said travelers now feel more protected and no longer carry the same fear of being assaulted on the street.

That matters.

For a merchant, safety is not an abstract idea. It affects every part of the trip. It affects whether someone feels comfortable carrying money, walking through a market, asking for directions, or returning with merchandise. It affects whether that person will come back again.

Norma’s preferred stops include the Central Market and the Excuartel Market in San Salvador. These places are not only commercial spaces. They are part of the living heartbeat of the capital, where small businesses, vendors, and visitors meet face to face.

She also shared a story about nearly getting lost and receiving help from members of the Metropolitan Agents Corps, known as CAM. That may seem like a small detail, but it says a lot. Sometimes what visitors remember most is not only the place they visited, but how people treated them when they needed help.

More Than a Shopping Trip

For some Honduran visitors, El Salvador has long been a place to buy products, visit relatives, or enjoy a quick getaway. But the country is becoming more than a practical destination.

It is becoming a place people want to discover.

That is an important shift.

Travel content creator Miguel Flores, from Tegucigalpa, said he has seen many beautiful Salvadoran destinations on social media and is excited to visit. He mentioned the country’s natural beauty, culture, and architecture as part of what draws his attention.

This shows how tourism works today. A photo, a video, or a short post can open the door for someone who has never visited. A beach sunset, a historic building, a mountain road, or a plate of pupusas can travel farther online than any brochure ever could.

El Salvador has many places that catch the eye. There are beaches along the Pacific coast, volcanoes rising over the landscape, colonial towns, renovated public spaces, and a Historic Center in San Salvador that has become one of the country’s most talked-about attractions.

For visitors from Honduras, these places are close enough to feel reachable, but different enough to feel like an adventure.

Pupusas, Beaches, and Familiar Culture

Food has always been one of the strongest bridges between people.

For many Honduran travelers, pupusas are part of the Salvadoran experience. You can talk about beaches, architecture, security, and tourism campaigns, but sometimes the memory that stays with a visitor is sitting in a park, eating pupusas, and watching life move around them.

Adolfo Pineda, president of the National Chamber of Tourism of Honduras, described El Salvador almost like a second home. According to the report, he travels here several times a year. His favorite destinations include Suchitoto, Surf City, and San Salvador.

Suchitoto especially stands out because of its cultural atmosphere. He compared it to Gracias, Lempira, a Honduran town known for its own traditions and historic charm. That comparison is meaningful because it shows how Honduran visitors can find something familiar in El Salvador while still discovering something new.

That is one of the strengths of Central American tourism.

We are not strangers to one another. We are neighbors. We understand many of the same customs. We know the same kind of family gatherings, the same importance of food, the same pride in local traditions, and the same appreciation for towns where history still feels alive.

As Pineda said, Salvadorans and Hondurans are brother peoples. Tourism gives both sides a chance to remember that.

Surf City and the Coastline That Keeps Calling

El Salvador’s coastline continues to be one of the country’s strongest attractions.

For years, surfers knew what many others are now discovering: our beaches are special. Places like El Tunco, El Sunzal, Punta Roca, and other coastal areas have helped place El Salvador on the international surfing map.

But the beach is not only for surfers.

Families come for the ocean breeze. Couples come for the sunsets. Photographers come for the scenery. Visitors come to relax, eat seafood, walk in the sand, and feel that peaceful pull that only the coast can offer.

In the report, Honduran presenter Amy Bonilla said friends had told her how beautiful El Salvador’s beaches are and encouraged her to visit. That is how travel often begins. Someone comes, enjoys the experience, and tells someone else, “You should go.”

That simple recommendation may be one of the best forms of promotion any country can receive.

The Historic Center of San Salvador

Another destination drawing attention is the Historic Center of San Salvador.

For many people who remember the city from years ago, the change is striking. The area has become cleaner, more organized, and more inviting for families, tourists, and local visitors. It is now a place where people walk, take photos, visit public spaces, and experience a different side of the capital.

Yeymi Cadalso, from Choluteca, shared interest in visiting the Historic Center and learning more about Salvadoran culture. That desire to see the country firsthand is important.

There is only so much a person can understand from the outside. To really know a place, you have to walk its streets, listen to its people, taste its food, and see how daily life feels.

That is what tourism allows.

It gives people a chance to replace old impressions with new experiences.

Viewpoints, Photos, and Memories

Scenic viewpoints are also attracting Honduran visitors who want to capture El Salvador through photography.

This may seem like a modern travel habit, but it is more than that. When people take photos, they are not only recording a place. They are claiming a memory. They are saying, “I was here. I saw this. I want to remember it.”

El Salvador offers many of those moments.

A view of the volcano. A street in Suchitoto. A market stall full of color. A beach at sunset. A plate of pupusas. A family standing together in the Historic Center.

These images travel back across the border and become part of the story Hondurans tell about El Salvador.

That story is changing.

A Regional Connection Growing Stronger

What stands out most in this report is not only that Hondurans are visiting El Salvador. It is the feeling behind their visits.

They are speaking of safety. They are speaking of beauty. They are speaking of culture, family, food, and hospitality.

That matters because tourism is not only measured in numbers. It is measured in confidence.

It is measured when a merchant returns year after year because she feels safe doing business. It is measured when a content creator wants to capture the country’s landscapes. It is measured when a tourism leader visits several times a year because the place feels familiar and welcoming. It is measured when a traveler hears about the beaches and begins planning a trip.

This growing exchange between Honduras and El Salvador strengthens both countries.

Hondurans are discovering more of El Salvador, and Salvadorans are also encouraged to visit Honduran destinations like Gracias, Lempira, with its festivals, traditions, and historic charm.

That is how regional tourism should work. It should not be one-sided. It should create movement, friendship, business, and understanding in both directions.

My Reflection

Living here in El Salvador, I have watched the country change in ways that are hard to explain to people who only remember the old headlines.

For years, many people outside the country saw El Salvador through fear. They heard about violence, gangs, and danger. Those problems were real, and no honest person should pretend otherwise.

But that was never the whole story.

El Salvador was always more than its problems. It was always a country of hardworking people, beautiful landscapes, strong families, deep traditions, and a culture that welcomes visitors with open arms.

Now more people are getting the chance to see that for themselves.

When Honduran travelers say they feel safer, when they return to the markets, when they visit the beaches, when they walk through San Salvador, and when they tell others about their experience, they are helping change the conversation.

That kind of change cannot be forced. It grows naturally, one visit at a time.

For me, that is one of the most powerful parts of this story. El Salvador’s reputation is not rising only because of official promotion. It is rising because ordinary people are coming here, seeing the country with their own eyes, and carrying that experience home.

Somos Pueblos Hermanos

El Salvador and Honduras are brother nations.

We share a region, a history, and a culture that is often closer than people realize. Tourism gives us a way to rediscover that connection. It reminds us that borders may separate countries on a map, but they do not erase the ties between people.

For many Hondurans, El Salvador is no longer just a place to pass through, shop, or visit for a weekend. It is becoming a destination filled with confidence, beauty, food, family, and memory.

And for El Salvador, that is something worth celebrating.

Somos pueblos hermanos — and tourism is helping us remember it.

If you enjoy stories about El Salvador’s culture, development, tourism, and transformation, please consider liking, commenting, and sharing this article.

And if you are drawn to true-life stories that explore how experience shapes the soul — confronting reality, searching for meaning, and discovering the quiet spiritual guidance that helps us endure — you may find resonance in my memoir, Harmony of the Cosmos, available now on Amazon.

There are moments when a country steps into a larger conversation. Not with noise. Not with force. But with confidence, progress, and a story that is finally being heard beyond its own borders.

Today, El Salvador received one of those moments.

According to Diario El Salvador, our country will host World Tourism Day for the first time in its history. The event is scheduled for the weekend of September 26 and 27, 2026, and will bring tourism ministers, international organizations, companies, innovators, and industry leaders to El Salvador.

For a small country that was once spoken of mostly through conflict, danger, and limitation, this is more than a calendar event. This recognition marks an important shift for El Salvador. No longer standing on the outside of the global tourism conversation, the country is stepping forward with confidence and earning its place on the world stage.

A Global Event With a Modern Theme

World Tourism Day is not just another conference. It is one of the most important international gatherings connected to the future of travel, investment, culture, sustainability, and economic development.

This time, the focus will be on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and the future of tourism. That theme fits the moment we are living in. Around the world, technology is changing how people choose destinations, book travel, explore new places, and share their experiences.

For El Salvador, this creates an opportunity to show not only our beaches, volcanoes, towns, food, and culture, but also the modernization taking place across the country.

Tourism today is no longer only about beautiful views. It is also about safety, accessibility, digital tools, better services, stronger infrastructure, and experiences that make visitors feel welcomed from the moment they arrive.

That is where El Salvador has been working hard to change its image.

A Weekend That Will Bring the World to Our Shores

Minister of Tourism Morena Valdez confirmed that El Salvador will host the event during the last weekend of September. International delegations are expected to participate in forums, conferences, investment discussions, and activities connected to the future of the tourism industry.

These gatherings matter.

Relationships begin at gatherings like these. Countries have an opportunity to present themselves to investors, new ideas can grow into real projects, and nations can demonstrate not only what they have accomplished, but also where they are headed.

For El Salvador, the message is clear: we are open, we are changing, and we are ready to welcome the world.

That matters not only for government officials or tourism companies. It matters for hotel owners, restaurant workers, tour guides, small businesses, artisans, transportation services, local communities, and families who depend on tourism income.

When tourism grows in the right way, it reaches far beyond the beach. It reaches the small pupusería, the family-owned hostel, the guide who knows the history of a town, the farmer who sells fresh products, and the young person looking for work close to home.

A Designation Earned on the Global Stage

El Salvador’s selection was formalized during a handover ceremony in Malaysia, where the country was designated as host of World Tourism Day 2026. Ambassador Jaime José López Badía received the recognition on behalf of the government.

That moment may have seemed ceremonial, but it carried real meaning.

Diplomacy often works quietly. Much of it happens out of the public eye and out of the headlines. But those efforts can open doors that later bring investment, visibility, and international confidence.

For El Salvador, receiving this designation on a global stage shows that the country’s tourism strategy is being noticed. It also shows that the world is willing to look at El Salvador differently than it did in the past.

That difference matters.

For many years, people outside the country often heard only one version of our story. Violence. Migration. Poverty. Instability. Those problems were real, and no one should pretend they did not exist. But they were never the whole story.

El Salvador was always more than its struggles.

It was always a country of strong families, hardworking people, natural beauty, deep culture, faith, resilience, and warmth. Now the world is beginning to see more of that truth.

Tourism Built Around Families

One important part of the government’s tourism strategy is the family-friendly approach. This is something I believe deserves attention.

Tourism should not only be designed for luxury travelers or large investors. It should also serve families. It should create safe, clean, welcoming spaces where parents can bring their children, grandparents can enjoy the day, and visitors can feel comfortable exploring.

That type of tourism helps build memories.

IFamily-friendly tourism can be seen in simple moments: a child visiting a park for the first time, a family walking through the historic center, grandparents resting nearby while children play, or visitors spending a peaceful Sunday afternoon at the beach. These experiences show a country that feels alive, safe, welcoming, and full of possibility.

For El Salvador, this is important because family is at the heart of the culture. If tourism grows while protecting that value, then it can become more than an industry. It can become part of national renewal.

A Country Becoming a Benchmark

The government has described this moment as part of El Salvador’s effort to become a benchmark in sustainable, innovative, and inclusive tourism.

Those are important words, but they must also become real on the ground.

Sustainable tourism means protecting the places that make El Salvador special. Our beaches, forests, volcanoes, rivers, historic towns, and protected areas must not be treated as disposable resources. They are part of the country’s identity.

Innovative tourism means using technology wisely. Artificial intelligence and digital tools can help improve services, promote destinations, guide visitors, support small businesses, and make travel smoother. But technology should never replace the human warmth that makes El Salvador special.

Inclusive tourism means that growth should reach ordinary Salvadorans. It should create opportunities not only in the most developed areas, but also in rural communities, small towns, and places that have waited a long time to be seen.

That is the balance El Salvador must continue working toward.

Growth is good. Recognition is good. Investment is good. But the true success of tourism will be measured by how much it improves the lives of the people who live here.

A Moment to Reflect on How Far We Have Come

There is something quietly powerful about seeing El Salvador step into this role.

I have lived here long enough to remember when many people outside the country would never have imagined that El Salvador would host a global tourism event. Some would not even consider visiting. Others only knew the country through old headlines.

But things have changed.

Visitors are coming. Families are exploring. International events are arriving. The airport is growing. Beaches are gaining global attention. The historic center has new life. Roads, parks, and public spaces are being improved. More people are beginning to see the country with fresh eyes.

That does not mean everything is perfect. No country is. There is always more work to do. Better infrastructure, stronger services, environmental protection, training, transparency, and long-term planning all matter.

But progress should be recognized when it is real.

And this moment is real.

El Salvador Is Ready to Tell Its Own Story

For decades, our story was often told by others. For too many years, El Salvador’s story was told from the outside, often without fairness, balance, or a real understanding of the people who live here, work here, raise families here, and love this land.

Now El Salvador has a chance to tell its own story.

World Tourism Day will bring ministers, companies, experts, and international organizations to our shores. It will bring conversations about artificial intelligence, investment, sustainability, innovation, and family-friendly tourism.

But beyond the formal meetings, it will also bring something more personal.

It will bring the world face to face with the Salvadoran people.

That is where the real story lives.

The real story is found in everyday moments: the smile of a vendor at the market, the cook preparing pupusas by hand, the fisherman heading out to sea, the farmer working the land, the hotel worker greeting guests, the guide sharing local history, the artist preserving culture, the student looking toward the future, and the family welcoming visitors with open arms.

This event is about tourism, yes. But it is also about identity.

It is about a nation that has passed through difficult years and is now standing taller. It is about a country that wants to be known not only for what it survived, but for what it is becoming.

El Salvador is ready.

And the world is coming.

Gracias por acompañarnos en este camino.

Seguimos adelante, juntos.

— Our Life in El Salvador

If you enjoy stories about El Salvador’s culture, development, tourism, and transformation, please consider liking, commenting, and sharing this article.

And if you’re drawn to true-life stories that explore how experience shapes the soul — confronting reality, searching for meaning, and discovering the quiet spiritual guidance that helps us endure — you may find resonance in my memoir, Harmony of the Cosmos, available now on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Harmony+of+the+Cosmos+Hugh+Conway+Talley

Consigue la edición en español en Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GXXK4FKX

Elizabeth and I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Fourth of July.

This year feels especially meaningful because 2026 marks America’s 250th birthday. That is hard for me to believe. I still remember the Bicentennial celebration back in 1976, when the United States turned 200 years old. Now, 50 years have passed, and I am 50 years older.

Time has a way of moving faster the older we get. When I was young, a year felt like a long stretch of road. Now it seems we blink, and half the year is already behind us.

Here we are, already halfway through 2026.

For our family and friends in the United States, we hope this Fourth of July brings you a weekend filled with good food, laughter, family, and memories. We miss the cookouts, the fireworks, and those simple gatherings that made the holiday special. There is something about the smell of food on the grill, children running around, and fireworks lighting up the night sky that stays with you.

We wish we could be there to celebrate with everyone, but we will have our own cookout here in El Salvador and spend the day with family. It may not be the same as being back in the States, but we will still take time to enjoy the day, remember the meaning of the holiday, and be thankful.

Please be careful this weekend. Whether you are traveling, grilling, watching fireworks, or gathering with others, take your time and stay safe. Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, but they are always better when everyone makes it home safely.

Here in El Salvador, the rainy season started in June, and the land is coming back to life. The grass is green again, the flowers are blooming, and the plants around the house are full of color. It really is a beautiful time of year.

Of course, all that beauty also means work.

The lawnmower and weed eater are back in action. We try to get outside early in the morning, just as the sun is coming up, and work for a couple of hours before the heat gets too strong. After 9 a.m., it can get very hot and humid, and that is when we know it is time to come back inside.

Still, I enjoy seeing the yard looking good. There is something peaceful about working outside early in the morning, hearing the birds, feeling the day begin, and watching everything grow around us.

Elizabeth and I are also planning some sightseeing trips soon. There are still so many places here in El Salvador we want to visit, enjoy, and share. This country continues to surprise me, even after all these years.

At the same time, I am doing my best to keep up with the blog. There is always something happening here in El Salvador, and 2026 has been a very busy year for news, development, tourism, and change. I enjoy writing about it, even if some days it feels like there are not enough hours to cover everything.

I am also working on my second book, and I hope to finish and publish it soon. This one is personal because it tells more of the story of my life in the United States and the path that eventually brought me here to El Salvador. It has taken time, but I believe the story is coming together.

I have added a slideshow of Elizabeth and me working around the yard and getting things back in shape for the rainy season. It is nothing fancy, just part of our everyday life here. But sometimes those ordinary moments are the ones that mean the most.

Once again, Elizabeth and I wish all our family, friends, and readers a happy Fourth of July.

May your weekend be joyful, peaceful, and safe.

Happy Fourth of July from our home in El Salvador.