Within this framework, MITUR has promoted initiatives designed to strengthen the capacity of rural communities to offer quality tourism services, combining training, promotion and support for the development of sustainable tourism products. The institutional approach recognizes that rural tourism is more than a revenue stream: it is a practical tool for safeguarding living culture, revitalizing traditional knowledge and valuing the country’s intangible heritage—elements that enrich the visitor experience while reinforcing community pride. In addition, because many rural destinations depend on well-preserved landscapes and natural resources, this model can encourage responsible practices and environmental stewardship, aligning tourism growth with sustainability objectives.
Minister Valdez has emphasized that rural and cultural tourism can contribute directly to improving living standards in rural areas by ensuring that host communities become protagonists of their own development. Participation by women, young people and families in activities such as guiding, community-based lodging, artisan production and culinary experiences helps broaden the distribution of tourism income and makes the sector more inclusive. From an institutional standpoint, the promotion of technical training programs, entrepreneurship support and advisory services aims to professionalize community initiatives and raise service standards, ensuring that rural destinations can compete while preserving authenticity.
This push is also connected to the wider need to strengthen connectivity and essential services, enabling easier access for visitors and improving the quality of the overall destination experience. In practice, the strategy supports the development and promotion of routes that integrate archaeological sites, heritage towns, protected natural areas and local festivities, forming circuits that appeal to diverse visitor profiles and extend length of stay. Such an approach helps position El Salvador as a distinctive destination in Central America, where cultural immersion and rural experiences become a defining feature of the country’s tourism identity.
Rural and cultural tourism also plays a key role in recovering and enhancing traditional cultural expressions—festivals, artisan fairs, regional gastronomy and local artistic practices that remain alive in historically rooted communities. When these expressions are incorporated into structured tourism products, they are not merely showcased; they are strengthened through recognition, economic value and intergenerational continuity. This creates a virtuous cycle in which cultural preservation and economic dynamization reinforce each other, improving resilience and encouraging communities to protect what makes them unique.
El Salvador has recorded sustained growth in overall tourism activity in recent years, creating favorable conditions for consolidating segments that go beyond traditional offerings. As demand expands, rural and cultural tourism stands out as a high-value proposition, offering differentiated experiences that can attract visitors seeking authenticity, learning and deeper connection with host communities. In this context, the development of rural destinations contributes not only to tourism numbers, but also to the quality of tourism, creating experiences that generate stronger local value chains.
Against this backdrop, MITUR encourages entrepreneurs, cooperatives, community associations and local stakeholders to join this development strategy to broaden the range of services and strengthen El Salvador’s competitiveness as a diversified destination. Rural and cultural tourism is presented as a concrete opportunity to foster sustainable local development, create jobs, preserve traditions and activate each region’s own resources, while aligning with broader economic and social policies that seek inclusive growth and well-being.
With a strategic vision focused on territorial equity, environmental sustainability and cultural valorization, El Salvador is positioning rural and cultural tourism as a distinctive element of its tourism proposition—capable of delivering tangible benefits for communities and memorable experiences for visitors, while consolidating the country’s standing in the international tourism landscape.
