3.4 million visits were recorded that generated Q2 thousand 802.11 million according to the Inguat, an entity that announced the detail of national and foreign tourists, as well as the most visited destinations.
At general 3 million 423 thousand 890 arrivals to different tourist destinations for Holy Week of 2025 that represents 4% growth compared to the same 2024 season, said José María Aguilar, head of the Inguat market research and analysis department, who together with the institution’s director, Harris Whitbeck released the results.
Mentioned amount, 3 million 273 thousand 912 people were from national visitors such as internal tourism, which increased 4%, that is, there were 135 thousand 655 trips more than last year.
While 149 thousand 978 are foreign or non -resident visitors, with 5% growth (6,775 more tourists).
The economic spill reached Q2 thousand 802.11 million, which also represented 4% growth, the authorities added.
Of that amount, internal tourism generated Q2 thousand 071.72 million, with 4% growth compared to last year, which represents Q85.82 million more.
While non -resident visitors left the economic spill of Q730.39 million, 5% growth that means Q32.54 million more, according to the institution’s data.
Where they visit us
Regarding non -resident visitors, El Salvador remains the main issuing market, followed by the United States, as detailed below:
- From El Salvador, 80 thousand 466 visitors arrived, 54% of the total.
- Followed by the United States with 20 thousand 129 (13%).
- Honduras, 17,779 visitors, with 12%.
- Of Belize, 6 thousand 493; Europe, 5 thousand 508; from Mexico, 5 thousand 279; that represent 4% each.
- Costa Rica with 4 thousand 171; and South America 4 thousand 065; which represent 3% each.
- Nicaragua came, 1,916 people; of Panama, 1 thousand 314; from Canada, 1 thousand 093; and of the rest of the world 1 Mi 765; that represent 1% each.
The Top 12 of the most visited destinations
Subscriber content
The most traditionally visited places for the time is former Guatemala, Retalhuleu and Quetzaltenango.
- Antigua Guatemala, 641 thousand 704 arrivals that represented 19%.
- Retalhuleu with 548 thousand, 16%.
- Quetzaltenango with 508 thousand 074, 15%.
- Puerto San José with 363 thousand, 11%.
- Atitlán, with 270 thousand visitors, 8%.
- Izabal, 261 thousand, 8%.
- Huehuetenango, 222 thousand, 6%
- Monterrico (Santa Rosa) 179 thousand with 5%
- Verapaces, 172 thousand 638 visitors, with 5%
- Esquipulas, 106 thousand 163, represent 3% of visits
- Petén, 104 thousand, 3%
- And, for the first time the wall was measured, beaches they received received 45 thousand 322 visitors.
According to Aguilar, by segment, visits to beaches and spas, lakes, seas, thematic parks represented 50% of trips.
While cultural tourism, especially processions, 40%; And 10% did adventure tourism.
Whitbeck stressed the importance of tourism as an engine of economic and social development, as well as the fundamental role of coordination between the different actors in the sector, including the private sector, local communities and state institutions, to continue strengthening the country’s tourist offer.
Marketing for fate
In addition, he announced new international advertising projects “that seek to position Guatemala as a top -level tourist destination.” Among the announced initiatives is an alliance with the Avianca airline, through which an A320 Neo plane will carry images related to tourist destinations in the country and the name of Guatemala, and survey the heavens of Central America, South America and North America over the next six months, starting in May.
In other marketbeck marketing and other Inguat officials indicated that since last year the idea is to see how to change the narrative that occurs about Guatemala abroad and for that different communication and advertising tools has been used.
In addition, a new international advertising contract will be signed on Wednesday with the Expedia online travel agency, one of the most important in the North American market, which will allow more communication about Guatemala as a destination and attract more tourists, the market of Mexico, Canada and the United States. The actions include so much advertising within the online travel agency, in digital and a dedicated destination page for each of these markets and countries.
In the next few days the first full half hour of the authentic Guatemalan series will be air, which was recorded last year and also a “very large production that was made on Guatemala in Netflix” will be published, according to Whitbeck.
Update of the Tourism Master Plan will be based on three axes
We also work on the update of the Sustainable Tourism Development Plan that is valid for the next ten years from 2026 to 2036, and which is sought to be more inclusive, since for the first time there is a representation of the ancestral authorities so that they give their point of view on how the Guatemalan tourism product should be developed. A series of meetings with citizens interested in talking about tourism was also initiated.
It will work on three axes, first, a process of co-creation of the sector of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of the tourism sector, and 23 workshops will be carried out throughout the country incorporating the original peoples, of the communities that have entrepreneurs in regenerative tourism, in mountain tourism, adventure, ecotourism, Maya Posadas, etc., which will greatly enrich the tourist offer of the country.
The second point is that it will be a plan that allows the formal and informal tourism sector to seize this plan feeling identified to execute it.
And the third is that the environmental sustainability component will be will have. “We cannot have five -star hotels in media star cities. We have to attack the problem of garbage, attack the problem of wastewater, we have to have drinking water in the cities where tourism is going to do,” Inguat authorities said.
In addition, respect that the United States described El Salvador as one of the safest countries to travel, Whitbeck said that this did not affect Guatemala in Holy Week, and the number of Salvadoran visitors is the largest, in addition to the authorities of that country there has been talk of the great opportunities offered by the proximity and difference between the destinations. El Salvador offers an impeccable beach, surf, and Guatemala offers beach, more culture, archeology, history, gastronomy, adventure, so we are talking about creating a collaborative marketing effort to offer themselves to the world as a multidestine.