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It’s not every day we get to report on a country going from being violence-torn and one of the most dangerous in the world to one of the fastest-growing, recognized for its enviable advances on the security front and decreased criminality…
Yet here we are.
It feels untrue even as we type this out, but El Salvador, historically known as a drug and murder capital and a no-go zone for most Americans, is now officially one of the safest countries for tourists to explore, not only in its tiny Central American nook but the entire Global South.
So how did El Salvador achieve this remarkable feat, and most importantly, how has the situation on the ground changed over the years?
El Salvador Is The 2nd Fastest-Growing Destination Globally
On January 27, El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele sent shockwaves through X (formerly Twitter) when he publicly celebrated a major milestone for his country:
El Salvador is now the second top performing country worldwide on the tourism front, with a year-on-year increase in visitor numbers of 81%, ahead of fellow hidden gem Albania, which posted an 80% growth, and just behind Gulf nation Qatar, with 137%.
The figures are UN-issued, and Bukele’s exact words were ‘from the murder capital of the world to the second highest-performing tourist destination in the world‘:
From the murder capital of the world to the second highest-performing tourist destination in the world 🌎
De la capital mundial de los homicidios al segundo destino turístico con mejor rendimiento en el mundo 🌍 https://t.co/oCyfHzaZL0
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) January 27, 2025
In his X post, Bukele refers to a badge, or dare we say, a stain, El Salvador ashamedly wore for many decades, as it has been historically considered one of the worst countries for crime in the whole of the Western Hemisphere.
In 2015, the most dramatic year for crime, it had a homicide rate of 103 per 100,000 inhabitants, and this has been gradually decreasing since, reaching a significant turning point in 2019, when Bukele himself became President.
During the first year of his term, the country’s homicide rate stood at 36 per 100,000.
Fast forward to 2024, and it’s a shockingly low 1.9.
On X again, Bukele vowed that this year, the murder rate would be below 1 even, so how did he achieve it, and how does visiting El Salvador feel like in 2025?
How Did El Salvador Get Here?
From his inauguration onward, the right-leaning El Salvadorian set out on a full-fledged war on crime:
Be it the aggressive crackdown on gangs, which used to run the streets in El Salvador, or the much-controversial declaration of a State of Emergency that granted the Government broader powers to speed up criminal procedures and prosecutions.
If you’re wondering where exactly the controversy lies, given the Bukele administration’s excellent outcomes, some of his fiercest critics have pointed to human rights violations, such as mass incarcerations, overcrowding in prisons, and supposed abuse of power.
According to the opposition, Bukele’s tough stance on crime inevitably undermines constitution-guaranteed individual freedoms by oftentimes suspending due process and, in many cases, does not address the root of the gang violence problem, namely poverty or lack of opportunity.
They can run as many opinion articles as they want, but the effectiveness of Bukele’s zero-tolerance approach is undeniable, at least as it pertains to homicides: El Salvador has never been safer since records began, and that’s just cold, hard, unbiased fact.
You don’t have to believe us: believe U.S. authorities.
For the first time in years, the White House has downgraded El Salvador from a blacklisted Level 4 to Level 2, in recognition of the progress local authorities have made in reducing insecurity.
In non-technical terms, prior to Bukele’s widespread purge, Americans were advised to avoid visiting El Salvador at all costs––now, they are simply told to exercise ‘increased caution,’ essentially the same advice applying to a bunch of European nations traditionally considered safe.
Think England, France, Spain, Italy and the like.
What Does Visiting El Salvador Feel Like In 2025?
El Salvador is a very different country than what it used to be 10 years ago, or even 5 or 3.
If you’ve visited during the height of the gang violence, you might remember certain precautions you were required to take, be it booking chaperones or tour guides to be accompanied at all times when doing outings, avoiding certain areas altogether, and never, ever commuting during the night.
As the crime rate has plummeted to new record lows, all that tiptoeing around safety and a state of hyper-awareness has been replaced with the usual common sense.
You still can’t rule out pickpocketing, and although largely uncommon now, you should keep a watchful eye on your belongings in crowded areas and beaches, especially if there are no police patrolling nearby.
Similarly, you shouldn’t leave your hotel with flashy valuables, and this includes expensive watches and jewelry, to not draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
The U.S. State Department continues to advise tourists to use only major highways and roads and minimize travel beyond the limits of metropolitan zones after dark, as well as strongly discourage hitchhiking and resisting robbery in the (now less likely) event it happens.
In sum, is El Salvador one of the safest countries in the world?
It certainly is no Switzerland: crime can occur, albeit on drastically-lower levels than before.
That being said, your chances of falling victim to the rampage violence that was oh-so-ordinary to observe on the daily have been reduced to a minimum.
All in all, El Salvador is a beautiful country comprising vast rainforest-clad landscapes, imposing volcanos, and endless miles of golden sand beaches hugged by the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean, and it’s never been this friendly and inviting to foreigners.
Political disagreements aside, El Salvadorians and tourists alike have an unwaveringly patriotic, ambitious Bukele to thank for.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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