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El Salvador Tourism Statistics for November 2026
El Salvador received 4.1 million international visitors in 2025, of whom 83% were tourists staying at least one night and 17% were same-day visitors. Travel income recorded in the balance of payments reached US$3.69 billion in 2025, 6.0% more than in 2024 and 2.8 times the 2019 level. In January–September 2026 the country received 3.5 million international visitors.
How many people visit El Salvador, where they come from, what they spend and when they come. These are the latest official figures, and full sources are listed at the bottom of the page. Headline numbers are for 2025, the most recent full year, with 2026 year-to-date where available. International visitors are counted from migration records at airports, land borders and ports. They include tourists, who stay at least one night, and same-day visitors. Salvadorans who live abroad are counted when they come to visit.
Inbound visitors
International visitors to El Salvador
El Salvador received 4.1 million international visitors in 2025, more than in any other year shown. In 2024 the monthly counts added up to 3,956,794 visitors, 17.3% more than in 2023 and 50.0% more than in 2019. The 2025 total is published only in rounded form, so the change on 2024 cannot be measured exactly.
View data table
| Period | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.64m | pre-pandemic |
| 2022 | 2.54m | |
| 2023 | 3.37m | |
| 2024 | 3.96m | |
| 2025 | 4.1m | rounded |
International visitors are non-residents entering El Salvador, counted from migration records. Tourists stay at least one night and same-day visitors (excursionists) leave on the day they arrive: in 2025, 83% of visitors were tourists and 17% same-day visitors, against 81% and 19% in 2024. Salvadorans who live abroad are included when they visit. Totals for 2019 and 2022–2024 are the sums of the published monthly figures; the 2024 total was also published rounded as 3.9 million. No monthly figures for 2020 and 2021 were given in the release used. 2026 so far: 3.5 million visitors in January–September (rounded).
Visitor spending
What international visitors spend
Travel income recorded in the balance of payments reached US$3.69 billion in 2025, 6.0% more than in 2024 and 2.8 times the 2019 level of US$1.31 billion. Most of the rise came in 2022–2024, when income grew from US$1.86 billion to US$3.48 billion. In January–March 2026 travel income was US$884.4 million, 18.9% more than in the same months of 2025.
View data table
| Period | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | US$1.31bn | pre-pandemic |
| 2020 | US$636m | pandemic |
| 2021 | US$993m | |
| 2022 | US$1.86bn | |
| 2023 | US$2.75bn | |
| 2024 | US$3.48bn | |
| 2025 | US$3.69bn |
Travel credits in the balance of payments: spending in El Salvador by non-resident visitors, in nominal US dollars, not adjusted for inflation. 2019 and 2020 are rounded to the nearest million as first published and may since have been revised. Visitors spent US$140 per person per day on average in 2024 and stayed 8 nights, according to the survey of international visitors.
Source markets
Where El Salvador's tourists come from
Three countries supply most of El Salvador's tourists. In 2024, 1.3 million tourists came from the United States (39%): 313,000 of them were Salvadorans living there and 955,000 were other US residents. Guatemala sent 827,000 tourists (26%) and Honduras 498,000 (16%).
Tourists (overnight visitors) by country of residence, 2024, rounded as published. Shares for Guatemala and Honduras are of all tourists; the United States total of 1.3 million (39%) is split into Salvadorans living in the US and other US residents. The three countries together made up 81% of tourists. In January–September 2026, Guatemala accounted for 41% of all international visitors, the United States for 27% and Honduras for 20%.
Seasonality
When they visit
December is the busiest month: 431,674 international visitors arrived in December 2024, 10.9% of the year's total. March was second with 373,391 and January third with 351,116. September is the quietest month, with 271,576 visitors in 2024, followed by February with 296,083.
View data table
| Period | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 351k | |
| Feb | 296k | |
| Mar | 373k | |
| Apr | 297k | |
| May | 312k | |
| Jun | 331k | |
| Jul | 340k | |
| Aug | 322k | |
| Sep | 272k | quietest |
| Oct | 307k | |
| Nov | 323k | |
| Dec | 432k | busiest |
International visitors (tourists and same-day visitors) by month, 2024, the latest year with a published monthly breakdown. The twelve months add up to 3,956,794. Easter fell in March in 2024. Between 20 December 2025 and 4 January 2026, 271,000 international visitors arrived: 38% from Guatemala, 32% from the United States and 17% from Honduras.
Economic impact
Tourism in El Salvador's economy
Of the US$6.21 billion that El Salvador earned from exports of services in 2025, US$3.69 billion was travel income. Residents spent US$1.38 billion on travel abroad in 2025, 20.7% more than in 2024. Travel income rose 18.9% in January–March 2026, to US$884.4 million.
Balance of payments figures in nominal US dollars. A separate official estimate put tourism foreign exchange in 2024 at US$3.41 billion, equal to 10% of GDP; the balance of payments figure for 2024 is US$3,475.6 million. No official tourism satellite account or tourism employment figure was found, so neither is shown.
At a glance
Fast facts
- 11.9m Visits to public tourist, cultural and natural sites (2024, +14%)
- 7.1m Visits to public tourist, cultural and natural sites, Jan–Sep 2026
- 313,000 Tourists who were Salvadorans living in the United States (2024)
- 271,000 International visitors, 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
- 63% Visitors arriving overland, Jan–Sep 2026 (37% by air)
- 4,793 Cruise passengers on four ship calls at Acajutla, Jan–May 2025
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many tourists visit El Salvador each year?
El Salvador received 4.1 million international visitors in 2025. Of these, 83% were tourists who stayed at least one night and 17% were same-day visitors. In 2024 the total was 3,956,794 visitors, 17.3% more than in 2023. In January–September 2026, 3.5 million visitors arrived.
How much money does tourism bring to El Salvador?
Travel income in the balance of payments was US$3.69 billion in 2025, 6.0% more than the US$3.48 billion of 2024 and 2.8 times the 2019 level. In January–March 2026 it was US$884.4 million, up 18.9% on a year earlier.
Where do most tourists in El Salvador come from?
The United States, Guatemala and Honduras. In 2024, 1.3 million tourists came from the United States (39%), including 313,000 Salvadorans living there; Guatemala sent 827,000 (26%) and Honduras 498,000 (16%). In January–September 2026, Guatemala made up 41% of all visitors, the United States 27% and Honduras 20%.
How long do tourists stay in El Salvador and how much do they spend?
In 2024 visitors stayed 8 nights on average and spent US$140 per person per day, according to the survey of international visitors.
When is peak tourist season in El Salvador?
December is the busiest month. In December 2024, 431,674 international visitors arrived, 10.9% of the year's total, followed by March with 373,391. September was the quietest month, with 271,576.
Do most visitors reach El Salvador by air or by land?
By land. In 2025, 56% of international visitors entered overland and 44% by air, against an even split in 2024. In January–September 2026, 63% came overland and 37% by air.
Using these figures?
Cite this page
Journalists, researchers and bloggers are welcome to use the statistics on this page. Please credit El Salvador Tourism Statistics and link to this page.
El Salvador Tourism Statistics (2026). Visitors, spending and trends. Last reviewed 2 November 2026. https://www.globaltourismstatistics.com/el-salvador
<a href="https://www.globaltourismstatistics.com/el-salvador">El Salvador Tourism Statistics</a> Notes & sources
Methodology & sources
This page compiles publicly available official statistics; the sources for every figure are listed below. Points to note:
- The 2025 visitor total and its splits come from the Ministerio de Turismo (MITUR) year-end statistics slides of January 2026, and 2026 figures from its infographic for January–September 2026. Monthly visitors for 2019 and 2022–2024, tourists by country of residence, daily spend and length of stay come from the MITUR presentation of 2024 results. Travel income comes from the Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador balance of payments, as harmonised and published by the Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA).
- International visitors are non-residents entering the country, compiled by MITUR from the records of the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería and its international tourism survey. They are split into tourists, who stay at least one night, and excursionists, who do not. Salvadorans who live abroad are counted as visitors; in 2024, 313,000 of the tourists from the United States were Salvadorans living there. Countries are shown by residence.
- The 2025 and 2026 visitor totals and shares are published only in rounded form (for example 4.1 million and 83%), so growth on 2024 is not calculated here. Annual totals for 2019 and 2022–2024 are the sums of the published monthly figures; the 2024 sum, 3,956,794, was published rounded as 3.9 million. Country figures for 2024 are rounded as published.
- Travel income is the travel credit of the balance of payments under the IMF's sixth manual (BPM6), in current US dollars. Figures for 2021–2025 come from the latest edition that covers each year; 2019 and 2020 come from the edition for the fourth quarter of 2021, rounded to the nearest million, and may since have been revised. MITUR's own estimate of tourism foreign exchange for 2024 was US$3,410 million, slightly below the balance of payments figure.
- No purpose-of-visit split, hotel occupancy, room supply, tourism employment or tourism satellite account figures were found from an official source, so those sections are not shown. Visitor totals for 2020 and 2021 are not shown because the monthly series used does not cover them. Visits to public sites include residents as well as international visitors.
Primary sources
- Ministerio de Turismo de El Salvador (MITUR): Visitantes internacionales a 31 de diciembre 2025 : Statistics slides published on the ministry's tourism statistics page in January 2026: international visitors in 2025 (rounded), split into tourists and excursionists and by route of entry; visitors and markets for 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.
- Ministerio de Turismo de El Salvador (MITUR): Visitantes internacionales del 20 de diciembre 2025 al 4 de enero 2026 : Statistics slide published in January 2026: international visitors over the year-end holidays by country.
- Ministerio de Turismo de El Salvador (MITUR): Datos estadísticos de turismo a septiembre 2026 : Infographic of January–September 2026 results: international visitors (rounded), visitors by country, route of entry, and visits to public tourist, cultural and natural sites.
- Ministerio de Turismo de El Salvador (MITUR): Datos turísticos al cierre de 2024 : Presentation of 2024 results, published May 2025: international visitors, tourists and excursionists, route of arrival, daily spend and length of stay, tourists by country of residence, monthly visitors 2019 and 2022–2024, and visits to public sites; built from migration records and the international tourism survey.
- Ministerio de Turismo de El Salvador (MITUR): Memoria de Labores junio 2024-mayo 2025 : Annual report of the tourism ministry and its agencies for June 2024 to May 2025, including 2024 visitor and foreign exchange results and cruise calls at Acajutla in January–May 2025.
- Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA): Balanza de Pagos de la Región CARD al IV trimestre de 2025 : El Salvador balance of payments, 2023–2025, in US$ millions, from harmonised external sector statistics compiled with the Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador: travel credit and debit, services exports, personal transfers; published May 2026.
- Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA): Balanza de Pagos de la Región CARD al I trimestre de 2026 : El Salvador balance of payments for January–March 2024, 2025 and 2026, in US$ millions, including travel credit and debit.
- Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA): Balanza de Pagos de la Región CARD al IV trimestre de 2024 : El Salvador balance of payments, 2022–2024, in US$ millions, including travel credit (used for 2022).
- Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA): Balanza de Pagos de la Región CARD al IV trimestre de 2023 : El Salvador balance of payments, 2021–2023, in US$ millions, including travel credit (used for 2021).
- Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA): Balanza de Pagos de la Región CARD al IV trimestre de 2021 : Tourism income (travel item, BPM6) by country, 2019–2021, in US$ millions rounded to the nearest million (used for 2019 and 2020).