After remittances, tourism is the largest contributor to the economy, contributing 3.2% to GDP.
In 2009 the contribution of tourism to GDP was 2.5% and it is projected that in the next five years it could grow to 5%. But this is still far from the contribution made by remittances, which come mainly from the U.S.
Data from the Central Reserve Bank reveals that "...
Tourists who arrived in the country in 2011 provided $615 million in revenue, 18.7% more than in 2010.
In terms of quantity, 2011 closed with 1,634,679 visitors, 62%, from Central America, 30% of the U.S., 4% from South America, and 4% from Europe.
"'Foreign exchange earnings from tourism have a real impact for the Salvadoran economy, as this represents a contribution of 2.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)', said the head of tourism, Jose Napoleon Duarte .
In the first half of the year income from tourist activity was $255 million, 8.7% more than the same period of 2009.
According to data from the Tourism Ministry's intelligence unit, there are three sources for the income: international tourists, Salvadorans living abroad that holiday back in the country and people on excursions (whether foreign or national) that do not spend on accommodation.
First quarter shows an increase of 6.7% on the same period last year.
José Napoleón Duarte, El Salvador’s Minister for Tourism, indicated that the outlook for the second quarter is much more encouraging with a rise of 17% expected.
This would mean approximately 400,000 international tourists in the second quarter and around 790,000 in the first six months.
Between January and March 2010, the country’s tourism industry reported $119 million in sales, the largest figure in four years.
In the first quarter of 2009, income summed $117 million, reported the Tourism Ministry. Visitor count also increased 4% when comparing these two periods.
According to newspaper La Prensa Gráfica, authorities expect the tourism industry to grow 4% during this year.
The arrival of tourists grew 25.8% in the first semester of 2008, according to a report by the Tourism Ministry
The Tourism Industry generated $411 million in the first six months of 2008, a 22% increase agains the same period of 2007, while the arrival of tourists grew 25.8% to 991,874 visitors.
The document highlights March as the month with the highest expenditure by visitors, when vistors spent $91.3 millions, in coincidence with the Holy Week holidays.