. . .start of riot in booming El Salvador pilgrimage town (7)
I believe the answer is:
lourdes
'pilgrimage town' is the definition.
'lourdes' can be an answer for 'town' (I've seen this before). I am unsure of the 'pilgrimage' bit.
'start of riot in booming el salvador' is the wordplay.
'start of' indicates taking the first letters.
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'booming' becomes 'loud' (similar in meaning).
'el salvador' becomes 'ES'.
The initial letter of 'riot' is 'r'.
'r' inserted inside 'loud' is 'lourd'.
'lourd'+'es'='LOURDES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for lourdes that I've seen before include "pilgrims' destination" , "Lured so to revered shrine in south of France" , "Place of pilgrimage in the French Pyrenees" , "It offers hope to the sick" , "French pilgrimage site" .)