El Salvador’s Security Gains Are Turning Into a Tourism-Led Boom

EL SALVADOR · ECONOMY

El Salvador’s economy grew about 4.8% in early 2026 as a security-driven tourism boom takes hold, with visitor spending topping US$871 million in the first quarter. The country now leads the Americas for growth in international arrivals.

From safety to spending

El Salvador’s headline story has flipped from crime to growth. First-quarter GDP rose about 4.8%, running ahead of forecasts.

The sharp fall in violence is the backdrop, and tourism is the most visible payoff so far.

A tourism engine

Tourism generated roughly US$871.4 million in the first quarter, a meaningful figure for a country of six million people. El Salvador now ranks first in the Americas for relative growth in international arrivals.

The government is leaning in, lifting the tourism ministry’s budget by US$17 million to US$66.9 million.

Turning a moment into a model

The challenge is to convert a boom into durable growth. ECLAC projects 3.4% for 2026, and the IMF has flagged good prospects.

Sustaining it will mean broadening beyond tourism into investment and infrastructure, the next test for the Bukele economy.

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