El Salvador caught the attention of the globe following its interest in Bitcoin. Unlike other governments, the Salvadorian government did not wait up. President Nayib Bukele pushed for the legalization of Bitcoin [BTC] in the region. Following a positive signal from higher-ups, the country implemented a number of Bitcoin-friendly policies. In a similar endeavor, El Salvador launched its first-ever hospital for animals funded by Bitcoin.
The hospital lies in the municipality of Antiguo Cuscatlán, close to San Salvador’s capital. Bukele first proposed the idea of establishing an animal hospital in October. The government declared that it would build the hospital with a $4 million excess from a trust fund established to aid in the government’s adoption of bitcoin as legal tender.
Construction of the hospital began back in November 2021. The hospital in El Salvador reportedly entails basic clinics, emergency wards, operating rooms, isolation, recovery as well as rehabilitation arenas.
The Chivo Pets hospital would reportedly charge a symbolic fee of $0.25 for all services. This strategy was implemented to assist those who did not have the financial means to pay for a private veterinarian.
Furthermore, the President of El Salvador broadcasted the entire inauguration of the hospital. The inauguration was streamed live on a variety of sites, including Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok, and cable television.
Thanks to Bitcoin, El Salvador’s tourism is up by 30%
El Salvador’s acceptance of Bitcoin has undoubtedly paid off. Prior to the incorporation of cryptocurrency, the country’s economic conditions were not very favorable. However, Bitcoin is currently assisting in the expansion of the country’s economy. Tourism in the country has skyrocketed, increasing by 30 percent.
Morena Valdez, the head of the Ministry of Tourism [MITUR] in El Salvador said,
“The implementation of bitcoin benefited the sector. More tourists and investors have come to see how cryptocurrency works. We did a poll to check the activity before and after bitcoin. The tourism sector increased, in November and December, more than 30%.”