Articles and Position Papers
El Salvador Beats UK To Travel Guide's Top 10
January 2010
A travel guide's newest edition has rated El Salvador as a top destination for tourists looking for something different, and attractive. El Salvador? Central America?
Although perhaps surprising to those who have never visited it, El Salvador is showing up on more and more travel recommendation lists, websites and books. In Lonely Planet's new guide for 2010, its annual recommendation of the top 10 best places to visit contains some surprises for the new year.
New Zealand — no surprise here — is listed at number one because of its great people, impressive scenery and numerous outdoor activities including water sports, snow skiing, rafting and countless other adrenaline-raising adventures.
But the one country that will come as a surprise to a great many people is the Central American country of El Salvador. The guide recommends the country for its beautiful scenery and vibrant culture, including museums, art galleries, lively and attractive bars and live music in, San Salvador the country's capital.
The countryside is also scenic. "North American surfers discovered the great waves and nice beaches some years back, and the rest of the world, as usual, is now beginning to catch up" confirms Stephen Drechsler, Executive Vice President of Panorama International, an international tourism development consulting firm based in San Antonio, Texas. "The country is verdant, with numerous volcanoes, volcanic lakes, and rivers. The sport fishing is attracting international attention as well."
What about the civil conflicts of the past? "The conflicts ended almost 20 years ago. The government is democratically elected. That's old hat", assures Drechsler. "We see increasing interest on the part of most major hotel names, and a number of tourism projects and resorts are in various stages of development or planning. Local tourism operators note increasing awareness by the rest of the world of the country's hidden charms. As more people visit, more people understand that their previous images of the country may need adjustment."
Mr. Drechsler also stated that El Salvador remains at the top level of candidates for development in the region. “El Salvador has a very welcoming policy and developer-friendly procedures that encourages tourism development and welcomes retirees and investors to the country. As a company we have dealt successfully in El Salvador for several years, and have nothing but praise for the country”.
El Salvador joins a list of both old as well as some newer names. The other countries named in Lonely Planet's top 10 were Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Portugal, Suriname, and the USA.
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