Enter El Salvador, known as the gateway to the Mayas, it is a must-see destination for any traveler who desires to follow the saga of the Mayans, loves to hike, visit new places and be treated extraordinarily well, another trademark of an unspoiled and emerging destination – a population that is glad you came. You can actually drive the length of the country in a day; it is about 160 miles long east to west, 60 miles east to west at the north and boasts 200 miles of coastline. Because of its size and shape, it has earned the affectionate nickname of El Puglarico, The Little Thumb. Sandwiched between Honduras and Guatemala, El Salvador is playing catch-up as the first Minister of Tourism, Ruben Rochi plans the country’s tourism development through 2019.

Tropical Weather and a Dollarized Economy

As in the rest of Central America, El Salvador is set in the tropics where there are two seasons: the green or rainy season also known as invierno, from mid-May to mid-October when the days are interrupted by short bursts of heavy rains only to clear up long enough for a misty sun to re-emerge and the hillsides are lush, and the dry season or verano, from mid-November, when the country is absolutely carpeted with bright and exotic flowers. The temperature changes more from day to night than it does from season to season.

Spanish is the national language but in the interior, it is possible to hear Nahuatl spoken by indigenous people. English is spoken sparingly, but you will also find people very willing to take time to communicate, understand and help. Additionally, El Salvador’s economy has been “dollarized” meaning the American dollar is official currency, a change that took place in 2001.

A World of Difference

Because I have visited El Salvador before, I have a reference point to note the significant changes in the past four years – in a single word, there is a hope, followed by a new energy in this country where 70% of the population is under the age of 34.

This year, the number of U.S. tourists traveling to El Salvador has increased by 24 percent and the number of Canadians by 51 percent. “There is no doubt in my mind that El Salvador’s safer environment has had a positive impact on tourism,” said Rochi. “The government has implemented various measures destined to increase tourism, including the establishment of a larger, better-trained and better equipped security force charged with assisting visitors.”

Once known only to surfers in search of the perfect wave, “El Salvador is emerging as an exotic tourist destination,” said Rochi. “Even our own Salvadorians, who live in the United States and have not visited the country in a long period of time, are surprised by all of the positive changes that have taken place since they last visited the country.”

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