El Salvador Tourism

El Salvador's Ministry of Tourism has a glossy new public relations campaign to encourage the people of El Salvador to think of the country as a tourist destination. You can see two minute-long video spots here and here.

Not everyone agrees with the message of the ad campaign, however. A friend recently sent me this satirical response to the Ministry of Tourism.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Why is it that Latin America does not often get good press?
Why is it that countries said to be Roman Catholic are poor?
Why is it that oftentimes these places are actually tourism-worthy and hold a promise of great wealth if only people supports tourism efforts ?
Why is it that inspite of their natural wonders , these Developing Countries can't seem to get out of their economic miseries?
Why is it that there are people who think out loud that El Salvador doesnt stand a chance to get out of the Third World and emerge into the First World?
Is it the government?
The people?
The religion?
The poor?
The rich?
The Devil?
Hellooo,is there a Formula specific for a beautiful place such as El Salvador that will bring it to a place on this earth where ES citizens live in peace and harmony with one another ? ( I can't believe I am saying this.)
Everyone seems to be very smart.Why dont they help the government.
As for me, I simply cant figure it out.Maybe I'm getting more clueless by the minute. :-)
Anonymous said…
So help 'em God.
El-Visitador said…
The satirical response is priceless, but I have one comment to make:

In my experience, many tourists are only scared away by two of the slides:
- the "friendly" natives
- the "world-class" trash systems

Poverty per se is usually a non-issue for tourists. Ugly trash and getting robbed, on the other hand, are issues.

This Tourism Ministry is a dead-brained dead-end cockamamie idea.

Shame on Saca, wasting taxpayer money.
El-Visitador said…
Baviera (South of Germany): Catholic
France: Catholic
Spain: Catholic
Italy: Catholic
Poland: Catholic

Pretty rich countries, you know.
Anonymous said…
Poland rich? I dont think so. Have you seen a polish pick up truck.
Salvi_Alchemist said…
What surprises me is how the government tries to look and act like another North Amercian spot. I notice El Salvador differs from other Latin American countries by offering tourist what they already have back home, things they want to get away from. I wish the people in charge of tourism would try to bring a vibe to the tourist spots like Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. As far as the current state of El Salvador I agree that the country is recieving a bad image bu I dont think thats what drives tourist away. A lot if people still visit Mexico City and Colombia even after all the notoriety of crime, drugs, and kidnappings. People still visit Lima and Santo Domingo which also have high poverty rates and slums.

I thnk the biggest reason why many people dont visit El Salvador is Costa Rica and Guatemala. What one doesnt offer the other does. Costa Rica doesnt have the rich indian culture many people want see but at the same time Guatemala doesnt have as many animals and virgin forests as CR. Those two are the giants in the region, and I remember reading a few months back how Guatemala is quickly catching up. I think thats what takes people away from not only visiting El Salvador, but also Nicaragua and Honduras.
Anonymous said…
You should read:
"The epic of Latin America"

"The open veins of Latin America"

"Culture Matters"
Anonymous said…
Hmmm...the only things we brew by reading these gay ass blogs are " what if's "
I have been to ES, and the place itself is hella cool, but it's that useless govt. and close minded people who make u weary 'n all. did y'all know that sometime after the central american independence from spain and the infamous central american republic episode, Jose matias delgado and manuel jose arce travelled to the united states to ask the american govt. to annex el salvador? much like puerto rico? indirectly we're seeing that, the only thing that hasn't triggered a declared territorial claim by the US on el salvador is the country's lack of natural resources and smart people.
my point? well, it all began that way and it will all end the same way, in a big fat "what if"...
Anonymous said…
Hmmm...the only things we brew by reading these gay ass blogs are " what if's "
I have been to ES, and the place itself is hella cool, but it's that useless govt. and close minded people who make u weary 'n all. did y'all know that sometime after the central american independence from spain and the infamous central american republic episode, Jose matias delgado and manuel jose arce travelled to the united states to ask the american govt. to annex el salvador? much like puerto rico? indirectly we're seeing that, the only thing that hasn't triggered a declared territorial claim by the US on el salvador is the country's lack of natural resources and smart people.
my point? well, it all began that way and it will all end the same way, in a big fat "what if"...
Hodad said…
well I AM trying
but w/o trying to toot my own hoen, the website I made in 1995, elsalfun.com trying to get some tourists, but even then the locals said whose coming here when church grouops are getting robbed on the volcanoes on Sunday outings, and still when i mention ES here, it is mostly the same of
"isn;t there a war/revolution/'something' bad happening there?"
anyway
check my site
we have THE BEST waves on the planet, some small mayan ruins, some small jungles, some small volcanoes
but great beer!
true, the food is THE WORST food in the world, but the ingrdients are there,
true, no more white water operators[their equipment was probably stolen. lol}
good diving, for me, not the caribe, but there are things to see, well i'm not telling...
true, i did own a club there for years, my partners stole from me and when they sold it they ....stole from me... and true, the clients were local, an occasional president of another country and sometimes some 'gringo's' [yes they were usually scared to death]
GREAT MOTORCYCLE RIDING
true one of mine was stolen...
but it does have potential, and hoepfully this will change, maybe when this government does, geeezzzzz
wonder when?
but it is still a great country and the people are what make it great, Guanacos are mil veces mejor than Tico thieves, and yes better than Chapines[not real friendly]
all in my opinion and 30 years in ALL these countries of course

anyway, my site is
www.tropicooltours.com

"We Guarantee a Good Time"

and as Bubba Johnson say'z [besides "eat mo' fish"]......
"there ain't too many things I ain't never done, but I ain't NEVER had TOO much fun"
Anonymous said…
Wow Hodad! Do you think the problem is one of PERCEPTION? Tourists wont feel scared if they feel they are at home and not in the middle of nowhere of a warzone.The media can really help out here to boost tourism or is it also a problem?
Anonymous said…
When I visit we do not stay at tourist centers but with the family. In this way I get to be in the real and every day El Salvador. It is a beautiful country with friendly folks and it is so nice to go to all those wonderful spots that the North Americans don't know about. But the satirical response does point out some of the suffering in ES which Tony Saca ignores. The people are against the gold mine because it will destroy their lives and towns with all benefits going to multinational companies. The poor believe in a god based in nature and well being. The multinations belive in a god of money in their pockets. We must support our brothers and sisters in their struggle to maintaine their life style and well being.