Tourism in El Salvador recovers pre-pandemic levels and the country's president believes it is thanks to Bitcoin.
Recently, the World Tourism Organization has included El Salvador on its list of countries that have been able to recover pre-pandemic tourism levelsThe list consists of a total of 15 nations that have recovered their previous levels of tourism.
Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador points to the Bitcoin Law and the fact that BTC has become legal tenderand main reason for recovery, along with beaches where you can surf.
The country has the Bitcoin Beach, El Zonte beach, one of the main surfing centers in the world and also one of the main tourist attractions in the country, where all workers receive their salaries in Bitcoin.
However, the World Tourism Organization report also shows its concern for the country's infrastructure, as well as its ability to find sufficient (and sufficiently prepared) labor to cope with such high growth.
Among the countries whose tourism volume has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the World Tourism Organization has also included Croatia, Turkey, Sudan, Pakistan, Romania, Serbia, Saint Lucia and Mexico, among others.
The Bitcoin Law as the main factor of recovery in tourism
According to data from the Google Mobility Report, El Salvador's tourism revenues have increased 6% since 2019.
Last February, the Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, Morena Valdez, noted that the country's tourism industry had grew by 30% immediately after Bitcoin became legal tender in the nation.
In her speech on television, the Minister of Tourism explained that, with The arrival of Bitcoin, El Salvador had become an attractive country for international tourists, who spend more money and tend to have longer stays, which is why their average daily spending has gone from $115 to more than $200.
It is for this reason that Bukele points to Bitcoin as the differentiating factor for increasing tourism in the country, along with surfing on some of its beaches. In this sense, some of the beaches in El Salvador are considered the best in the world for surfing.
Finally, the president of El Salvador has also pointed out the reduction in crime as another factor, although in this case, it only affects domestic tourism.
The Bitcoin Law and financial inclusion
On the other hand, the Google Mobility report also shows growth in domestic tourism in El Salvador.
According to the Minister of Finance, Alejandro Zelaya, he has explained that the implementation of Bitcoin as legal tender is working correctly and has been able to extend financial inclusion nationwide, benefiting the population, especially the large unbanked segments of the country.
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