Announcement and Formalization
To begin with, El Salvador was officially selected as the host country for World Tourism Day 2026 during a handover ceremony held in Melaka, Malaysia, as part of the global 2025 celebration under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.”
Moreover, the designation was adopted by the 70th Regional Commission of the Americas of the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism / UNWTO) and is pending ratification at the upcoming 26th UNWTO General Assembly to be held in Saudi Arabia.
Representatives and Handover Ceremony
In addition, the ceremony included several key participants:
- Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General.
- Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, who formally delivered the designation.
- Representing El Salvador, Ambassador to Singapore Jaime José López Badía received the plaque on behalf of the country.
Theme for the 2026 Edition
Furthermore, the official theme for World Tourism Day 2026 will be:
“Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”
This theme, in fact, aligns closely with El Salvador’s government policies, particularly the ongoing digital transformation led by President Nayib Bukele and the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR).
Justification and Opportunities
Reasons and benefits highlighted for El Salvador’s nomination include:
Consequently, El Salvador’s nomination brings significant opportunities. First, it strengthens international confidence in the Salvadoran tourism model, showcasing achievements and post-pandemic recovery. Second, it provides a platform to highlight progress in sustainability, innovation, inclusion, and digitalization across tourism services. Finally, it creates possibilities to attract investment, improve infrastructure, promote emerging destinations, and deliver training — especially for MSMEs, youth, women, and local communities.
Current State of Tourism in El Salvador
At the same time, El Salvador has already demonstrated remarkable growth. According to UN Tourism, it was the fastest-recovering tourism country in the Western Hemisphere in 2024. Additionally, by August 2025, the country had already welcomed approximately 2.7 million international visitors.
Additional Key Facts
- During the ceremony, El Salvador received a commemorative plaque confirming its role as host.
- While the announcement was made in Malaysia, it must still be ratified during the UNWTO General Assembly in Saudi Arabia.
Implications and Challenges
Being the host of World Tourism Day 2026 presents both opportunities and challenges for El Salvador:
- Logistical Organization: Hosting international delegations, conferences, investment forums, and parallel events will require infrastructure, security, and institutional coordination.
- Technological Infrastructure: The chosen theme demands strong capacity in digital connectivity, electronic payment systems, AI tools, and innovation.
- Local Participation: Ensuring communities, MSMEs, and young entrepreneurs can actively benefit from the event, not just observe it.
- Environmental and Social Sustainability: Balancing tourism promotion with conservation of natural resources, cultural heritage, and social well-being.
- Long-Term Legacy: Making sure the event leaves lasting benefits — better infrastructure, stronger international image, increased investment, and more training opportunities.
In our opinion
As a family small tour company, celebrate the nomination and hope for it to be ratified. We have always believed this country has a lot to offer in terms of tourism and this nomination is a prove that we have always been right and continue believing in that since 2007 when we started.
Good for all!
