El Salvador in $9m tourism push
El Salvador is looking to work with UK adventure and family tour operators as part of a $9 million tourism promotion boost.
The Central American country’s tourism ministry will be launching a new logo and marketing materials next year.
Discussions are also taking place with a unnamed major airline to start direct flights from Europe.
The country’s tourism ministry, unveiling the plans at World Travel Market, said the budget was to create awareness of El Salvador at international travel trade fairs as well as creating “in depth and colourful” marketing material for both operators and visitors.
El Salvador claims world-class surfing, scuba diving on the Pacific coast and game fishing. The adventure and cultural offerings including hiking, rafting and archaeological sites such as the UNESCO heritage site Joya de Cerén.
The MICE market is also being targeted by El Salvador, with capital San Salvador housing the biggest convention centre in Central America.
Tourism minister Rubén Rochi said: “Our visitor numbers reached 1.2 million in 2005 of which 5% were visitors from UK and Europe. With our new brand awareness campaigns we hope to increase this figure year on year to a goal of 2 million visitors by 2014, of which 10% are from the UK and Europe.
“El Salvador has numerous product offerings which are as yet undiscovered by the UK and European markets. We hope to dispel the myths surrounding the product offering at this year’s World Travel Market and build on this in 2007.”
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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