Sustainable tourism in companies in El Salvador

Abstract

In El Salvador, tourism is one of the pillars of the government's economic strategy. This strategy aims to leverage natural resources, investment, scientific and technological progress, and institutional efforts to meet the needs of society, both present and future, thus achieving sustainable tourism development. Given that tourism businesses are the main actors in this strategy, this research focuses on describing their current situation regarding sustainable tourism. This is accomplished by documenting their efforts and identifying the barriers that hinder their activities, as well as the main needs that must be addressed for the country's development.

To this end, a survey was conducted using a questionnaire administered to representatives of Salvadoran tourism businesses registered with the National Tourism Registry, located in the western, central, and eastern regions of the country. The results indicate that while tourism and environmental legislation and regulations are known to those involved in the sector, compliance is minimal. Furthermore, there is a disconnect between the work of the government, businesses, and the communities where tourism activities take place.

In this regard, the importance of strengthening the promotion of Sustainable Tourism Policy is highlighted. This includes training expert personnel to develop projects in this area, monitoring natural resources, providing investment and tax incentives, fostering collaborative work, and penalizing companies that violate environmental regulations.