Feature: El Salvador rides waves to a better future with Surf City initiative

Through Surf City, El Salvador has demonstrated how a sport can serve as the engine of economic growth and social transformation. Today, the country has not only secured its place on the global surfing map, but is also riding the waves to a better future.

by Jose Gabriel Martinez and Douglas Martinez

SAN SALVADOR, June 21 (Xinhua) -- At first light, dozens of surfers were already in the water off El Salvador's El Tunco beach in the town of La Libertad. The powerful waves draw both young and old, locals and foreigners alike, who glide along together, united by their passion for surfing.

The El Tunco beach, along with El Zonte and Punta Roca on the country's Pacific coast, is well known worldwide for its consistent waves and lush landscapes, and stands at the center of the Salvadoran government's Surf City initiative, which began to be implemented in 2019.

In addition to attracting professional and amateur surfers, Surf City promoted the economic revitalization of coastal communities through sustainable tourism and job creation, which have allowed El Salvador, once plagued by insecurity and violence, to position itself as a world-class tourism destination for surfing.

VALUE IN WAVES

Being much more than a recreational activity, surfing is a powerful tool for national transformation, said Salvadoran Tourism Minister Morena Valdez.

"When I saw how tourists came despite the potential danger, I realized the differentiating value this country has," she told Xinhua, adding that the value also motivated Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to adopt Surf City as a state policy.

"The first step was to put the house in order: roads, electricity, drinking water, sanitation and public tourism infrastructure. Then, we trained human resources and strengthened the productive social fabric in coastal communities," said Valdez.

"We have opened four shopping centers in Surf City. There are not only hotels and restaurants, but also pharmacies, spas, hardware stores … everything the tourism industry needs," said the minister.

The results have been overwhelming. In La Libertad alone, Surf City's star attraction, 67,000 formal tourism-related jobs as well as some 300,000 indirect jobs have been created. Data also showed that 70 percent of foreign tourists arriving at the Central American country's international airport headed directly to the beaches.

El Salvador has succeeded in becoming a benchmark for professional surfing, being the only stop in Latin America on the 2025 World Surf League Championship Tour, Valdez said.

For El Salvador, surfing is more than hosting competitions, the minister stressed. "Surf City is the anchor project, but we connect it with volcanoes, towns, lakes and gastronomy. The new generations seek to reconnect with nature and tradition, and that's what we're promoting," she said.

Development through surfing has also had a positive impact on national pride, the minister said. "Before, many were not proud of being Salvadoran because of crime or gangs. Now they are, and that is evident."

Official data revealed a record-breaking 3.9 million visitors in 2024, which alone brought more than 3.5 billion U.S. dollars in foreign currency. El Salvador has shown that the power and passion of surfer culture can be harnessed to reactivate communities.

TANGIBLE TRANSFORMATION

Residents also affirmed that surfing has increased tourism and revolutionized the economy by creating jobs and enhancing public security.

"There have been more jobs. It is a huge benefit for the people in the area," said Amelia Hernandez, owner of a restaurant on El Tunco Beach. "When I started 30 years ago, there were only three restaurants. Now there are about 150. There has been enormous growth."

Hernandez acknowledged the support of the state in the transformation. "The government has not left us by ourselves. They are always attentive. We have worked together well, and that has helped our businesses grow," she said.

Armando Marquez, owner of Surf Cafe and a local surfing promoter, said the transformation has boosted both the economy and the sense of security. "Our beaches were unsafe before, with gangs, but now people work in peace, and there are opportunities for the locals," Marquez said.

"Surf City has brought hope to coastal residents. The locals are the ones who have noticed the change the most, from living in poverty and violence to having jobs and being able to get ahead. It is a project that has transformed lives," he said.

Fatima Delgado, manager of a local surfboard factory in El Salvador, has also noted the rise in El Salvador's global reputation as a surfing haven through her business. Her company has become part of a new value chain that leads from manufacturing to international trade.

"We are exporting boards, and that generates technical and specialized jobs. Every board in the water is an opportunity to undertake, to grow, to dream big," she said.

On El Salvador's beaches, young people used to trade guns for surfboards, and uncertainty has given way to business plans. Nowadays, the country's international image has undergone a positive transformation. A phrase runs through the tourist sites along the Central American country's coastline, summarizing this transformation: "Where there are waves, there is life."

Through Surf City, El Salvador has demonstrated how a sport can serve as the engine of economic growth and social transformation. Today, the country has not only secured its place on the global surfing map, but is also riding the waves to a better future. ■