San Salvador, El Salvador – Government officials from El Salvador and Guatemala met on Saturday to discuss strategies to strengthen tourism products between the two nations. The primary focus of the meeting was to collaborate with the private sector to develop and enhance tourist offerings.
"This is one of the meetings where we are agreeing to strengthen, especially with the private sector, tourism products that involve both Guatemala and El Salvador," stated Morena Valdez, El Salvador's Minister of Tourism. "There is already a natural one, which is Surf City - Antigua Guatemala, but we seek to strengthen it further."
Minister Valdez highlighted the recent increase in Guatemalan visitors to El Salvador, particularly in 2024. She noted that El Salvador is among the countries with the highest growth in the tourism sector, according to the UN Tourism Organization, and expressed the desire to capitalize on this momentum by promoting multi-destination tourism.
"In addition to that, I want to tell you that many Guatemalans have come to El Salvador," Valdez added. "According to our statistics, we have received around 20% of visitor income from Guatemala."
The most popular destinations among Guatemalan tourists include the Ruta de Las Flores, the Historic Center, and the beaches of La Libertad.
Valdez explained that the goal is to improve transportation, both by land and air, to attract more visitors. "So that they visit us more, not only our Guatemalan brothers, but also tourists who come from Europe and the United States who go to Guatemala, to their Mayan world, and then come here to Surf City and vice versa," she said.
Harris Whitbeck, Guatemala's Minister of Tourism, emphasized that El Salvador and Guatemala complement each other perfectly as multi-destinations for visitors from other regions. He noted that tourists can combine beach experiences with Mayan culture, and the aim is to facilitate the flow of visitors between the two countries.
Whitbeck mentioned that efforts to improve connectivity between the two nations date back to 2006 when an agreement was signed. However, progress has been slow due to various reasons.
"At the end of last year, we had a first meeting in Guatemala where we talked about the importance of doing this," Whitbeck said. "It was agreed to hold this meeting, and now we are going to take the next steps, which are more technical, to move forward on the issue."
The meeting signals a renewed commitment from both El Salvador and Guatemala to strengthen their tourism sectors through collaboration and strategic partnerships. By leveraging their unique attractions and improving connectivity, the two nations aim to attract a wider range of international visitors and boost economic growth.
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