Central America Leads the BPO Industry with More than 100 Operating Centers

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and call center sector in Central America has consolidated itself as one of the region’s most dynamic engines of economic growth

Key Points

• Central America has established itself as a strategic BPO hub, with more than 100 operational centers and key clusters in Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Panama.

• The sector is evolving with specialization: Costa Rica leads in IT and cybersecurity, Panama in financial services, while Guatemala and El Salvador stand out in multilingual contact centers.

• Automation and AI are expected to drive steady growth, though challenges remain in infrastructure and the availability of specialized technical talent.

Currently, more than 100 centers operate mainly across Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Panama, with smaller participation from Honduras and Nicaragua.

According to Fabiola Perez, CEO of Nexis Solutions Group, … “Central America no longer competes only on cost—it competes on talent, innovation, and resilience. The future of BPO in the region lies in how we transform our people’s intelligence into global value.”

Key Clusters and Specialization

Cities such as Heredia, Sabana, and Santa Ana in Costa Rica; Guatemala City; San Salvador; and Panama City have become the most consolidated and attractive hubs in the region, driven by access to bilingual talent, air connectivity, tax incentives, and government support.

Costa Rica has emerged as a leader in high value-added services, with a strong focus on IT, cybersecurity, software development, technology consulting, and business intelligence. Panama, meanwhile, has built a strong presence in financial services, including banking, investment management, and financial analysis. Guatemala and El Salvador have capitalized on their competitive edge in contact centers and customer support, offering cost-efficient, multilingual services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Infrastructure and Flexible Models

In terms of real estate, operators of specialized services often prefer Class A offices located in business parks and free trade zones, while those with larger headcounts and less specialized services tend to opt for repurposed buildings or flexible spaces according to operational needs and costs.

Growth with Automation

The outlook for the next three to five years points to steady growth, driven largely by rising demand from the United States and Canada. The accelerated adoption of automation and artificial intelligence will enable BPOs to deliver more efficient and higher-value solutions, translating into lower operational costs and greater profitability for investors.

Structural Challenges

Despite its strong momentum, the sector faces significant hurdles. Infrastructure disparities between countries remain one of the main challenges: while Costa Rica and Panama boast world-class free trade zones, other nations continue to struggle with gaps in technological connectivity and energy quality.

Another pressing issue is the shortage of specialized technical talent. While the region has an abundant labor force for customer service roles, there is still a gap in technical profiles such as technology, cybersecurity, data analytics, and software development.

To overcome these challenges, Central American governments are pushing for the expansion and modernization of free trade zones and business parks, offering attractive tax and migration incentives, alongside state-of-the-art technological infrastructure to attract new international operations.

Nexis Solutions Group

In addition to real estate developers and strategic consulting firms, specialized business development companies play a key role in the BPO ecosystem. One such example is Nexis Solutions Group, a company that supports businesses in their growth and international expansion.

The firm focuses on three high-impact pillars:

• Market Research: Detailed analysis of markets, trends, and competitors, enabling companies to make informed decisions and identify investment opportunities in high-potential sectors.

• Lead Generation: Development of prospecting and outreach strategies to optimize client acquisition, build partnerships, and accelerate entry into new markets.

• BPO Services: Delivery of business process outsourcing solutions tailored to each client’s needs, ranging from administrative and operational support to more specialized functions.

“At Nexis, we understand that expansion is not just about opening offices—it’s about opening possibilities. That’s why we connect talent with strategy, so companies don’t just grow, they transcend.”