Tourism in Panama (and Central America)

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Environmental study for  Panama city beaches to boost tourism

Panama City beach, a peak into the future

Posted 20/11/2019

An  environmental impact study (EIA, for the Panama Bay beaches recovery project which is intended to dramatically change the  sea frontage of Bella Vista  and Calidonia and boost city  tourism  by 2022  will be handled  by the Louis Berger Lac S. company

The Mayor's Office of Panama, chaired by José Luis Fábrega, on November 14  awarded a contract for the best value tender of $120,376. The reference price was $133,750

The other company that presented, Corporación de Desarrollo Ambiental, SA (Codesa), had offered $132,758.27.

Louis Berger obtained 85 points from the evaluation committee. Meanwhile, Codesa earned 74.27 points. 

Being a category 3 EIA, public consultation is required.

Fábrega has said that the project aims to recover the beaches of Calidonia and Bella Vista as an attraction for local and foreign tourism.

The project will have an extension of 1.8 kilometers and an investment of $120 million. According to the mayor, he is expected to be ready in 2022.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/environmental-study-for-panama-city-beaches-to-boost-tourism

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Panama: Tourism to Grow 10% by 2020

The Panamanian government's optimistic projections are based on the publicity that finally began this year at the international level, with the injection of $20 million into the Tourism Promotion Fund.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The campaign to promote Panama as a tourist destination in the main international markets began in November of this year and will be active for eight months.

The business tourism sector expects in the coming year to begin to see an upturn in activity, which has been depressed for the last 4 years. According to estimates by the Tourism Authority, in 2020 a similar flow of tourists could arrive to the country as in 2018, when 2.4 million tourists were registered.

Prensa.com review that "... Among the agreements that are already being implemented or will come into effect in the coming weeks, is the agreement that the Fund signed with the German operator TUI, which will be valid for 2 years. The Fund will allocate $50,000 each year in combined promotion with the European operator and it is estimated that this relationship will translate into more than a thousand tourists arriving in Panama next year."

Liriola Pittí, Executive Director of the International Promotion Fund, explained to Prensa.com that "... Agreements have also been reached to bring charter flights from Colombia, Ecuador, Canada and Costa Rica". She added that "... The number of tourists that would arrive in the country, as a result of these charter flights, was calculated at 85% occupancy in the aircraft, so the final numbers could be higher."

Source: Prensa.com

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Tourism_to_Grow_10_by_2020

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Panama: Tourist Arrivals Begin to Fall in 2020

During the first month of the year, 215,607 visitors arrived to the country, a figure that is 18% less than the one reported for the same period in 2019.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

The General Comptroller of the Republic reported that between January 2019 and the same month of 2020 48,696 tourists arrived to the country less, from 264,303 to 215,607 visitors. The report states that in the case of cruise ship passengers, the number increased by 130%, from 10,822 to 24,868.

You may be interested in "Tourism and Travel: Consumer Interests and Preferences"

Reviewing the entry of tourists, according to the port of entry, the report states that 154,140 tourists entered through the Tocumen International Airport and in Paso Canoas the figure rose to 17,009.

In the case of the ports of Balboa and Cristobal the number of visitors who entered during January was 505, and in the other ports the figure rose to 19,085.

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Tourist_Arrivals_Begin_to_Fall_in_2020

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Panama reactivates tourism and conservation initiative

Posted 28/09/2020

A decree to reactivate the Tourism, Conservation, and Research (TCI) strategy was signed in Mi Pueblito by President Laurentino Cortizo on Monday, September 28.

The proposal made for Panama more than 20 years ago by the specialist in social ecology  Dr. Hana Ayala, inspired by the natural, environmental and cultural potential of the country.

She returned to Panamas  in February 2020, to meet with local tourism leaders President Cortizo, who supported the reactivation of the TCI

a strategy, which was praised by groups like the Smithsonian Institute, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the World Bank, when it was first implemented by Panama.

The new decree creates the TCI Alliance, Committee made up of public entities, with the participation of the research, conservation, and tourism sectors.

The Committee is made up of the Ministries of the Environment (MiAmbiente) and Culture (MiCultura).the National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Senacyt) and the Tourism Authority of Panama.

The Committee will develop, promote and support the execution of a national plan for the development of sustainable heritage tourism in the country,

As general coordinator of the Committee, the ATP will form a group of Affiliates to the TCI Alliance, which will be joined by companies, non-profit organizations and other public or private entities, for their contribution to conservation and research projects of natural heritage and culture of Panama, linked to tourism.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/panama-reactivates-tourism-and-conservation-initiative

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68% of tourism activities face year-long crawl back

Posted 11/10/2020

Some  68% of tourist activities will not be able to operate at capacity for about a year due to the pandemic,  warns the Panama Chamber of Commerce (CCIAP) as Panama trails other countries in developing strategies.

After almost seven months of inactivity due to the restrictions applied by the government to prevent the spread of Covid-19, tourist activities in the country will reopen on  Monday, October 12.

“For this, first of all, Panama must present itself to travelers as a destination with clear, well-established biosafety protocols that are implemented and respected, avoiding improvisations, “says the CCIAP highlights in its weekly message.

The business union asks to activate the engines of the sector since it has the ability to promote other productive activities in the country, such as transport, commerce, agriculture, crafts and restaurants, to name a few.

It also recommended to urgently resume the international promotion campaign in order to position the destination in the markets identified in the studies carried out by the Panama Tourism Authority and the Tourism Promotion Fund.

“Other destinations are already ahead of Panama; the pandemic did not stop them in the task of planning to promote their attractions, no matter how challenging the panorama may be, ”warns the Chamber

Within the reactivation of tourism it is crucial to value and capitalize on new assets, such as the Amador Convention Center and the Amador Cruise Terminal, whose strategies must be redefined.

The CCIAP says   there is a long road ahead for tourism, and a government support plan is required for this sector, “if we take into account according to applied surveys, 68% of tourism activities will not be able to operate at capacity for a year or more ”.

The Chamber says that the reactivation of the tourism sector represents a great challenge with great opportunities for economic recovery.

As a reference, the business union recalled that in 2019, tourism-related activities represented 14% of GDP; that is, $8.5 billion  and employed about 240,000 people.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/68-of-tourism-activities-face-year-long-crawl-back

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Reapertura turística será gradual; empresas cuestionan restricciones

Roberto González Jiménez

12 oct 2020 - 12:00 AM

Los hoteles están reforzando medidas de higiene y siguiendo protocolos para proteger a clientes y trabajadores. Agustín Herrera

Tras más de seis meses de cierre, el sector turístico se reactiva desde hoy, con actividades como los vuelos internacionales, los hoteles y el transporte no esencial. El regreso estará marcado por la incertidumbre sobre el comportamiento de la demanda, la permanencia de ciertas restricciones que impiden un desempeño normal de la actividad y el peso de una deuda pendiente de pagar con los bancos.

Ernesto Orillac, presidente de la Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Camtur), señaló que el hecho de que se mantengan la cuarentena los domingos y la restricción para bañarse en las playas tiene un impacto directo en el sector, ya que hay polos turísticos cuyo principal producto es la playa, por lo que “muchos de esos hoteles han pospuesto sus aperturas”.

En el plan de reapertura anunciado a finales de agosto, las playas estaban contempladas en la fase del 28 de septiembre, pero la restricción no se levantó.

También impactará al sector la cuarentena de los domingos. La Asociación Panameña de Ejecutivos de Empresa (Apede) cuestionó que “después de un muy largo confinamiento se decide mantener un día de cuarentena total, lo que afecta la real y efectiva apertura del turismo”. Por eso, Orillac señaló que es “indispensable” el levantamiento de estas restricciones.

Como en el resto de las actividades, la apertura de los hoteles será gradual. Desde la Asociación Panameña de Hoteles (Apatel) estiman que en un primer momento abrirá sus puertas un tercio de los hoteles del país. El presidente de Apatel, Armando Rodríguez, comentó que abren con un elevado nivel de incertidumbre sobre el comportamiento de la demanda y con la necesidad de capital para engrasar esos negocios y estructuras que han permanecido cerradas por meses. Por eso, reclama algún tipo de alivio financiero en forma de periodos de gracia o flexibilización de pagos para el sector, que acumula una deuda con los bancos de unos $720 millones. También será progresiva la reincorporación de trabajadores en el sector hotelero que, según Rodríguez, acumula 35,000 contratos suspendidos.

Desde los gremios señalan como clave la promoción internacional del país, una de las carencias que ha tenido el turismo en los últimos años. Esa tarea es actualmente responsabilidad de Promtur, que no tiene director o directora general desde la renuncia de Liriola Pittí el pasado mes de marzo. En ese sentido, Rodríguez señaló que la falta de un CEO está dilatando decisiones.

Fernando Duque, presidente de la junta directiva de Promtur, manifestó a este diario que la directiva está en la fase final de evaluación de los candidatos. Sobre el posicionamiento del país en el exterior, dijo que los planes incluyen la activación de la campaña de promoción internacional “Discovered by Nature”.

Los mercados vecinos de Colombia y Costa Rica serán atendidos con más fuerza en el corto plazo; Estados Unidos y Brasil permanecen tanto a corto plazo como a largo plazo; y en Europa el posicionamiento va más alineado con estrategias de multi-destino, aseguró.

 

Moderator comment: Below is an unedited automated translation of the above news article.

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Tourist reopening will be gradual; companies question restrictions

Roberto González Jimenez
12 Oct 2020 - 12:00 AM

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The hotels are reinforcing hygiene measures and following protocols to protect clients and workers. Agustin Herrera

After more than six months of closure, the tourism sector reactivates as of today, with activities such as international flights, hotels and non-essential transport. The return will be marked by the uncertainty about the behavior of demand, the permanence of certain restrictions that prevent a normal performance of the activity and the weight of a debt pending payment with the banks.

Ernesto Orillac, president of the National Chamber of Tourism (Camtur), pointed out that the fact that the quarantine is maintained on Sundays and the restriction to bathing on the beaches has a direct impact on the sector, since there are tourist poles whose main product it is the beach, so "many of those hotels have postponed their openings."

In the reopening plan announced at the end of August, the beaches were considered in the September 28 phase, but the restriction was not lifted.

The quarantine on Sundays will also impact the sector. The Panamanian Association of Business Executives (Apede) questioned that "after a very long confinement it is decided to maintain a day of total quarantine, which affects the real and effective opening of tourism." For this reason, Orillac pointed out that the lifting of these restrictions is "indispensable".

As in the rest of the activities, the opening of the hotels will be gradual. From the Panamanian Association of Hotels (Apatel) they estimate that at first one third of the hotels in the country will open their doors. The president of Apatel, Armando Rodríguez, commented that they open with a high level of uncertainty about the behavior of demand and with the need for capital to grease those businesses and structures that have been closed for months. For this reason, it demands some type of financial relief in the form of grace periods or flexible payments for the sector, which accumulates a debt with the banks of about $ 720 million. The reincorporation of workers in the hotel sector will also be progressive, which, according to Rodríguez, accumulates 35,000 suspended contracts.

The unions point to the international promotion of the country as key, one of the shortcomings that tourism has had in recent years. This task is currently the responsibility of Promtur, which has no director or general director since the resignation of Liriola Pittí last March. In that sense, Rodríguez pointed out that the lack of a CEO is delaying decisions.

Fernando Duque, president of the board of directors of Promtur, told this newspaper that the board is in the final phase of evaluating the candidates. Regarding the country's positioning abroad, he said that the plans include the activation of the international promotion campaign "Discovered by Nature."

The neighboring markets of Colombia and Costa Rica will be served more strongly in the short term; The United States and Brazil remain both short-term and long-term; and in Europe the positioning is more aligned with multi-destination strategies, he assured.

 

https://www.prensa.com/impresa/economia/reapertura-turistica-sera-gradual-empresas-cuestionan-restricciones/

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Panama tourism on verge of collapse

Posted 23/01/2021

Panamanian tourism is on the edge of an abyss from which it would take about 15 years to emerge, according to industry projections.

The restriction of mobility, curfew, sanitary fences and a ban on going to the beaches can cause the closure of at least 50% of the 3,500 companies that participate directly in tourism, an activity that in 2019 contributed more than $4.5 billion to the country's gross domestic product.

Ernesto Orillac, president of the Panama Chamber of Tourism (Camtur),  said that the current situation is unsustainable and called for the health authorities to sit at a table to establish  roadmap that allows the recovery of the sector.

35,-000 thousand contracts of workers who depend directly on tourism remain suspended

$800 Million is the accumulated debt of the companies that participate in tourism: hotels, receptive operators and travel agencies, among others.

"We had a meeting scheduled for yesterday Friday, but the Health Ministry canceled it at the last minute," Orillac said.

Panamanian tourism was reactivated on October 12, after 8 months of paralysis, but after the rebound in positive cases of coronavirus, health authorities decreed new measures that affect the sector at the beginning of the year.

The extension of the measures comes during the high season of tourism (January-March), months that contribute between 40% and 45% of the annual income of the sector, especially for companies that operate outside the capital city.

“We cannot continue with improvisations and last minute decisions. Tourism needs reliable information. How is it possible that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry says that tourists can pass the sanitary fences just by presenting their reservation when there is no decree that stipulates it? ", said Orillac.

For the tourist unions, the lack of decisions is taking its toll on the country. Aurillac points out that countries such as Costa Rica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic are registering occupancy rates in their hotels of up to 70%, and not only by tourists on vacation but also events and congresses.

"These countries have the same contagion problems as Panama, and tourism companies are complying with the same protocols that Panamanian companies have already established," he said.

In addition to the lack of consensus in decision-making, the Panamanian Association of Hotels (Apatel) is concerned about the government's decision to reduce funds for international tourism promotion.

Annually, the Tourism Authority of Panama must transfer $20 million to the International Promotion Fund to market Panamanian destinations, but inmthe 2021 budget f $ 15 million is contemplated.

"Cutting off the nation's ability to generate foreign income would have dire consequences for the entire national economy, from restaurants to tourism companies, retail trade to light industries and, of course, for the treasury," said a statement from Apatel.

Like Camtur, Apatel asks the Government "to urgently open a consultation dialogue with representatives of the tourism industry, in order to ensure that the measures are agreed upon for the benefit of the nation."

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panama-tourism-on-verge-of-collapse

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Panama launches Discovered by Nature campaign

Posted 07/02/2021

The International Tourism Promotion Fund (Promtur) will expand the dissemination of the digital campaign "Discovered by Nature" to publicize the natural, historical and cultural attractions of Panama.

Since its launch last year, the campaign has focused on the United States and Canada, but now it will also be viewed in Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia and Argentina, markets that in the past have brought a significant flow of visitors to the country.

Fernando Fondevila, CEO of Promtur, said that the campaign will be activated from February 16 to March 15, and explained that in addition to digital content, they will use influencers who will become ambassadors for the country brand.
Since its launch last year, the campaign has focused on the United States and Canada, but now it will also be viewed by clients in Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Argentina, markets that in the past have brought a significant flow of visitors to the country.

Fondevila,  said that the campaign will be activated from February 16 to March 15, and explained that in addition to digital content, at this stage they will use influencers who will become ambassadors for the country brand.

Funds cut

$6.8 million will be Promtur's budget for 2020 after the Panama Tourism Authority  (ATP)announced that it does not have the funds to meet the $20 million annually that it must transfer to the entity.

The ATP said that the Fund has capital that was not used in the past and that together with the contributions of 2021 they add up to $44 million.

Fondevila participated in the forum "Let's save tourism", organized by the Chiriquí Chamber of Tourism, where he explained that at the end of 2020 the "Panama Discovered By Nature" campaign achieved more than 25 million impressions on social networks and reached two million potential visitors.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/panama-launches-discovered-by-nature-campaign

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Tourism industry looks to vaccines to aid recovery

Posted 21/03/2021

The airline and tourism industry, which together contributed 11% to the GDP before the pandemic, predict that the recovery will be slow, based on the results of the first two months of the year.

In February, passenger traffic through the Tocumen International Airport totaled 376,182 people, 71% lower than the same period in 2020, while the comparison between January and February of this year reflects a decrease of 17.9%.

Entrepreneurs recognize that low passenger movements can have a domino effect across the entire service and supply chain, including restaurants and others.

However, they consider the application of vaccines to reactivate the economy and win the battle against the coronavirus as positive reports La Prensa.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/tourism-industry-looks-to-vaccines-to-aid-recovery

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Travel magazines boost Panama tourism hopes

Posted 03/05/2021

While hotel occupancy, did not exceed 10% in the first quarter of the year, reports by two travel magazines could herald better days for the Panamanian tourism sector, hard hit by the measures adopted against the coronavirus pandemic.

The publications International Living and Smithsonian Magazine included Panamanian destinations among the recommendations that tourists should follow, as international travel has been reactivated despite the pandemic.

International Living, compiled data from islands that meet the right conditions for travelers to spend long stays, even settle permanently.

Isla Colón, in the province of Bocas del Toro, occupied the second position in the list headed by the island of Phu Quoc, in Vietnam. International Living says that a traveler can live with a monthly income of $1,200, an income that would allow them to access housing and a quiet life in front of the sea.

 Smithsonian Magazine made a compendium of the cultural festivals that should be on the list of travelers interested in knowing the artistic and ethnic expressions of other cultures.

The Congo culture festival, which takes place in Portobelo, province of Colón, is worth observing, since it is the inheritance of the descendants of the slaves brought from Africa to Panama in colonial times.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/travel-magazines-boost-panama-tourism-hopes

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Panama: Plan to Reactivate Tourism

The Cabinet Council approved several impact measures for the reactivation of the tourism sector and the economy, including the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

The Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism (PMTS) 2020-2025 will focus on strengthening the institutional capacity of the ATP, investing in the country's tourism promotion, improving the tourism products offered by Panama and in infrastructure, maintenance and basic services.

From the press release of the Panama Tourism Authority:

May 27, 2021. The Cabinet Council, in a face-to-face session held at the Panama Convention Center, in Amador, approved several impact measures for the reactivation of the tourism industry and the economy, including the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025 (PMTS), as well as B/.20 million for the construction of the Cruise Port in Amador and the delivery of the order to proceed for the study, design, construction and financing for the interconnection of the Cinta Costera 3 with the Amador Causeway, for B/.46,041,191.00.

As a first point, the Cabinet approved an additional credit for up to B/.24 million in favor of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) to strengthen the investment program of this entity, mainly with the purpose of allocating B/.20 million for the continuation of the construction of the Cruise Port of Amador and another B/.2 million for the reconstruction of the dock of Puerto Armuelles, in the province of Chiriqui.
In addition, the Cabinet approved the resolution that recognizes the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism (PMTS) 2020-2025 as a tourism planning instrument of the Republic of Panama.

The administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Ivan Eskildsen, supported the Plan as the new rethinking of Panama's tourism offer, which was successfully presented at the recent International Tourism Fair (FITUR), in Spain.

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Plan_to_Reactivate_Tourism

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Rise in Panama visitors stopped in April

Posted 12/07/2021

The growth of visitors to Panama, since January 2021, stopped in April. In January, the entry of 26,000 visitors was reported, a figure that increased to 28,612 in February, and in March to 43,326 entries. However, in April the movement slid back to 30,301 visitors, a decrease of 30% compared to the previous month. In total, 128,246 visitors entered Panama in the first four months of the year.

At the end of March, the Government imposed restrictions on the entry of visitors from South America, a region that in recent years contributed 40% of visitors to Panamanian tourism.

Tourism bodies  have requested that the quarantine restrictions for travelers from the south be eliminated, in addition to allowing entry to travelers who enter with a negative test, without the need for another test at Tocumen International Airport.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/rise-in-panama-visitors-stopped-in-april

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Optimism at Tocumen as passenger movement up 25%

Posted 19/07/2021

Passenger movement at the Tocumen International Airport increased about 25% in June compared to May, Tocumen SA reported on Monday, July 19.

According to the airport administration, the figures "show a sustained recovery of operations and passenger traffic for four consecutive months," as vaccination against Covid-19 progresses in the main destinations in North and South America that connect in Panama.

The figures reveal that during the month of June there was a movement of 751,219 passengers, 149,941 more travelers compared to May. From January to June there was a total movement of 3,099,683 passengers.

"The reactivation of airlines, the increase in weekly frequencies and destinations in recent weeks are injecting optimism throughout the industry, however, we must remain focused on a systematic and balanced recovery from an operational and financial point of view," said Raffoul Arab, general manager of the Tocumen airport.

Recently, the Turkish Airlines airline increased the weekly frequencies between Panama and Istanbul to five starting from July 12, while Air Europa will restart its operations with two weekly flights from July 20. Meanwhile, Copa Airlines reactivated connections to 58 destinations.

Tocumen SA detailed that among the regions that registered the greatest movement of passengers through the Tocumen airport, during June, it was North America: it represented 40.98%. It was a similar figure to South America, with 40.41%; Central America 8.9%; the Caribbean region 6.7% and Europe 3.04%.

Regarding the movement of cargo, Tocumen registered between January and June of this year, a total of 89,402 metric tons of merchandise, which represents an increase of 33.6% over the same period of 2020.

Currently, the international airport provides a direct connection to 65 cities in 31 countries in America and Europe, through 19 airlines.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/optimism-at-tocumen-as-passenger-movement-up-25

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New rules for travelers to reactivate tourism

Posted 21/07/2021

New provisions for travelers entering Panama from July 26 are part of the roadmap to reactivate the tourism sector says Health Minister Luis Sucre.

The requirements are

 1  covid-19 vaccination card that indicates the record of the last dose at least 14 days before arrival in Panama. The covid-19 vaccination card must be uploaded in the affidavit before traveling. In addition, the passenger, upon arrival, must physically present the vaccination card or the Digital Certificate issued by the competent authority.

 2 The passenger must upload a negative covid-19 test (PCR or antigen) in the affidavit of health with a maximum of 72 hours before entering Panama. In addition, the passenger, upon arrival, must present his negative test.

For passengers who meet requirements 1 and 2 (that is, vaccination and negative test) from non-High Risk countries: It is not necessary to carry out another covid-19 test at the points of entry, or to quarantine.

For passengers who meet requirements 1 and 2 (that is, vaccination and negative test) from countries that the Minsa identifies as “High Risk”, a second covid-19 test must be performed at the country's entry points, at the passenger's cost, and if negative they will not have to comply with quarantine.

If they do not have the covid-19 test of a maximum of 72 hours, it will be mandatory to perform it at their cost. If the test is positive, the passengers must comply, at their own expense, with the quarantine established by the Ministry of Health.

 The entry requirements for passengers without full covid-19 vaccination are:

The passenger must upload a negative covid-19 test (PCR or antigen) in the affidavit of health with a maximum of 72 hours before entering Panama.

Passengers who come from countries that are not high risk must present their negative test in less than 72 hours, PCR or Antigen, but if they do not present it, they will have to carry out a test at the entry point upon arrival at cost to the traveler and if it is negative, they will not have to comply with the quarantine.

Passengers who come from countries that the Minsa identifies as "High Risk", must undergo a second covid-19 test at the points of entry to the country and if negative they will have to comply with three days of quarantine, at the cost of the passenger from Monday, August 9

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/new-rules-for-travelers-to-reactivate-tourism

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4 million passanger movement at Tocumen will expand with vaccination.

Posted 13/08/2021

The movement of passengers through the Tocumen International Airport added its fifth consecutive monthly increase in July, with the traffic of 903,406 people an increase of 152,187 over June, and the airport administration anticipates continued growth as covid vaccination expands worldwide.

Despite this positive trend, the number of passengers that used Tocumen between January and July of this year - just over 4 million people - is still 58.7% below the traffic reported in the same period of 2019.

Rating agencies such as BRC Ratings - S&P Global have estimated that the movement of travelers through Tocumen would be 60% below the numbers of two years ago when the main air terminal in the country reported 16.5 million passengers.

Of the total traffic from January to July 2021, 3.1 million travelers were transit passengers who arrived in Tocumen to board one of the connections that remain active.

Tocumen currently offers direct connections with 65 cities in 31 countries in America and Europe, through 19 airlines. Before the pandemic, connections totaled 89 destinations in 39 countries.

The rebound in positive cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) has led authorities in Brazil, Argentina, and China to keep destinations that previously had a direct connection from Panama closed.

In its monthly report, Tocumen informs that in July 8,274 air operations were carried out between takeoffs and landings, being the cities of Miami and Orlando (United States), Cancun (Mexico), Bogotá (Colombia), and Guayaquil (Ecuador).

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/world/4-million-passanger-movement-at-tocumen-will-expand-with-vaccination

[Moderator_02]

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The Country of the Absurd

Posted 23/08/2021

Tourism, one of the pillars of our economy, has suffered losses estimated at more than $3 billion, as a result of the collateral damage produced by the Covid-19 pandemic. But, in addition, the Government has contributed enormously to delaying its recovery. In many cases, government policy in this sector has been erratic, improvised, and discretionary. Tourism in Panama has been one of the worst treated by the authorities. There are too many cases in which foreigners who came to visit the country repeatedly complain of mistreatment, abuse, the price of tests at the airport - and even to go to Taboga -, the quality of the hotels where they are forced to remain, of the little seriousness of the laboratories hired by the Government to do the tests, of the impoliteness, of the lack of information; confusing regulations and authoritarianism in the application of the rules. In short, many are affected and this will surely have consequences for tourism, hit by the strictness of local quarantines, not counting international ones. What good are incentives to build works for tourism if there will be no tourists? This is the country of the absurd. – LA PRENSA, Aug.23.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/the-country-of-the-absurd

[Moderator_03]

Moderator Comment: The following article is from the Panama Tourism Authority. The original is in Spanish and included after a translation made using DeepL

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Panama Signs Agreement with the World Tourism Organization

Posted 28 October 2021

The general administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Iván Eskildsen, and the secretary general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, a specialised agency of the United Nations), Zurab Pololikashvili, signed an agreement to carry out a competition for innovation in transformative tourism products for the empowerment of communities.
The signing of this agreement took place in the framework of the World Summit "Future of Tourism", co-organized by UNWTO, held in Barcelona-Spain, from 26 to 27 October 2021, which was attended by thought leaders focused on rethinking tourism development worldwide, focused on better rebuilding the industry in the post-pandemic recovery scenario.
The competition to be launched by the ATP with the UNWTO consists of the creation of innovative tourism products that offer experiences that satisfy the demand of the so-called "conscious tourist", who is concerned about the conservation of the cultural and natural heritage of the destinations he or she visits and wishes to leave a positive contribution in the communities. In line with the government plan of President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, the competition prioritises tourism experiences developed by tour operators that take place in the communities of the "Plan Colmena", the 300 villages with the lowest socio-economic development in the country.
"This contest is focused on stimulating tourism products oriented towards the conscious traveller, a segment that generates higher spending in destinations and longer stays, and which is estimated at 500 million travellers. Eskildsen said, "It contributes to our vision of tourism according to the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism, contributing to the empowerment of communities, scientific research, the regeneration of ecosystems and local cultures, and also responds to Panama's tourism model that was highlighted at the World Summit "The Future of Tourism".
At the event, which brought together more than a dozen tourism ministers from different countries and a hundred international exhibitors linked to the industry, the head of the ATP participated in a high-level round table whose central theme was: "Emission-free tourism for the regeneration of the planet" and was accompanied by Javier Manzanares, deputy executive director of Green Climate Fund; Frédéric Degret, president of NOAH ReGen; Julián Suárez, vice president of CAF; Alex Hadzhiivanov, associate director of green economy of FLACMA; and as moderator was Zoritsa Urosevic, executive director of UNWTO.
Eskildsen also participated in the panel: "Tourism for community empowerment, generating non-carbon benefits", together with Claus Kjaerby, CEO of the NGO Geodiversity, who is an expert on non-carbon benefits; Praveen Moman, founder of Volcanoes Safaris; David Hernandez, founder and executive director of Pangea Travel Store; and as moderator, Virginia Trapa, from UNWTO's Sustainable Development department.

 

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El administrador general de la Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP), Iván Eskildsen, y el secretario general de la Organización Mundial de Turismo (OMT, agencia especializada de las Naciones Unidas), Zurab Pololikashvili, firmaron un acuerdo para realizar un concurso de innovación en productos turísticos transformadores para el empoderamiento de las comunidades.
La firma de este convenio se llevó a cabo en el marco de la Cumbre Mundial “Future of Tourism”, co-organizada por la OMT, realizada en Barcelona-España, del 26 al 27 de octubre de 2021, la cual contó con la participación de líderes de pensamiento enfocados en repensar el desarrollo turístico a nivel mundial, enfocados en reconstruir mejor la industria ante el escenario de reactivación post-pandemia.
El concurso que lanzará la ATP con la OMT consiste en la creación de productos turísticos innovadores que ofrezcan experiencias que satisfagan la demanda del llamado “turista consciente”, aquel que se preocupa por la conservación del patrimonio cultural y natural de los destinos que visita y desea dejar un aporte positivo en las comunidades. En línea con el plan de gobierno del presidente Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, el concurso prioriza las experiencias turísticas que desarrollen los tour operadores que se lleven a cabo en comunidades del “Plan Colmena”, los 300 corregimientos de menor desarrollo socioeconómico en el país.
“Este concurso está enfocado en estimular productos turísticos orientados hacia el viajero consciente, un segmento que genera un mayor gasto en los destinos y una estadía más larga, y que está estimado en 500 millones de viajeros. El mismo contribuye a plasmar nuestra visión del turismo según el Plan Maestro de Turismo Sostenible, aportando al empoderamiento de las comunidades, la investigación científica, la regeneración de los ecosistemas y de las culturas locales y  responde también al modelo turístico de Panamá que fue resaltado en la Cumbre Mundial “The Future of Tourism”, indicó Eskildsen.
En el evento que concentró más de una decena de ministros de turismo de diferentes países y un centenar de expositores internacionales vinculados a la industria, el titular de la ATP participó en una mesa redonda de alto nivel cuyo tema central fue: “El turismo sin emisiones para la regeneración del planeta” y estuvo acompañado de Javier Manzanares, subdirector ejecutivo de Green Climate Fund; Frédéric Degret, presidente de NOAH ReGen; Julián Suárez, vicepresidente de CAF; Alex Hadzhiivanov, director asociado de economía verde de FLACMA; y como moderadora estuvo Zoritsa Urosevic, directora Ejecutiva de la OMT.
Eskildsen también participó en el panel: “Turismo para el empoderamiento de las comunidades, generando beneficios no relacionados con el carbono”, junto a Claus Kjaerby, CEO de la ONG Geodiversity, quien es experto en beneficios no relacionados con el carbono; Praveen Moman, fundador de Volcanoes Safaris; David Hernandez, fundador y director ejecutivo de Pangea Travel Store; y como moderadora, Virginia Trapa, del departamento de Desarrollo Sostenible de la  OMT.

https://www.atp.gob.pa/panama-firma-acuerdo-con-la-organizacion-mundial-del-turismo-para-lanzar-concurso-de-innovacion-en-productos-turisticos/

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Life returns to Panama  tourism  as cruise season opens

Posted 08/11/2021

In the midst of the celebration of national holidays, 1,429 tourists arrived in Colon on the weekend onboard the Celebrity Millenium cruise ship.

With the ship’s arrival, the cruise season begins bringing life back to the ailing tourism sector especially in this region of the country.

According to the Tourism Authority, these tourists visit the Agua Clara lock, the Emberá Parará Puru community in Chagres, and points in Panama City.

The tourism sector was one of the hardest hit by the economic stoppage due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is currently struggling to reactivate, taking advantage of the fact that the incidence of the disease has dropped and 70% of the population is vaccinated.

For residents of Colon, tourism is a form of subsistence in a province where their main source of employment, the Free Zone, has been in decline for several years.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/life-returns-to-panama-tourism-as-cruise-season-opens

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9,000 hotel rooms closed as visitors plummet 76%

Posted 15/11/2021

NINE-THOUSAND of the 32,000 hotel rooms registered in Panama until the end of 2019 are out of inventory due to the low entry of visitors because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some are rooms have closed and others have not been enabled because they do not have the staff to attend them and there are no visitors.

According to the report of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), up to August 365,218 visitors entered the country a fall of 76% compared to the first 8 months of 2019, when entry  of 1,531,000 visitors was recorded.

Armando Rodríguez, president of the Panamanian Association of Hotels (Apatel) , said that the hotels that are operating have only enabled 50% of their rooms, while others have chosen not to open.

It is estimated that less than 40% of the hotels in the country opened their doors after the authorities allowed the restart of operations on October 12, 2020, after being closed for more than seven months due to mobility restrictions applied to stop the transmission of covid-19

Ernesto Orillac, president of the Panama Chamber of Tourism (Camtur), pointed out that a significant number of tourism companies have chosen to continue closed since they do not have the resources to reactivate the suspended contracts that are mandated by the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development were to be activated at the end of October.

Embassy security alert

He said that the security alert issued by the United States Embassy in Panama for its citizens places more pressure on Panamanian tourism, since US is the main source of visitors to Panama. The situation is aggravated by the restrictions that the Ministry of Health still maintains on unvaccinated travelers from the United States, who must remain in quarantine for three days, regardless of whether they present a negative result of a PCR test.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/9000-hotel-rooms-closed-as-visitors-plummet-76

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Cruise season begins at new Amador terminal

Posted 24/11/2021

The Viking Orion, of the Viking Cruises company, docked at  Amador on Tuesday, November 24  the second cruise ship of the company to perform docking tests at the new facilities.

The arrival of the vessel at the dock still in its final phase of construction marks the start of the cruise season and the hundreds of passengers on board who will visit Panama and contribute to the economic reactivation of the country said the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP).

The administrator of the Authority  Noriel Araúz said that "for the month of November docking tests at the Cruise Terminal will continue. All operations with passengers are carried out in compliance with biosafety protocols. The Viking Orion arrived from the Port of Cartagena, in Colombia, with 662 passengers on board who disembarked for various excursions and then headed to Puntarenas in Costa Rica.

Its passengers and 438 crew members have a complete vaccination scheme against covid-19 and comply with the established rules for entering the country by sea and air. The first to arrive at the cruise terminal was the Norwegian Star also owned by Viking Cruises, on November 16.  681 passengers disembarked from the Norwegian-flagged vessel and 524 passengers embarked.

The cruise terminal, located in the Amador archipelago, was built with an investment of approximately $165 million, with the aim of boosting the country's tourism sector.

"This terminal is an attraction that will help boost the cruise industry and the tourism sector at a national and international level since it will become the first cruise port built in the Pacific sector, which positions us strategically," said the Tourism administrator , Ivan Eskildsen. The new facilities also allow the simultaneous docking of two cruise ships with a capacity of up to 5,000 passengers The terminal can receive vessels of up to 360 meters in length.

The Port construction is 83% complete and is in charge of a consortium made up of China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) and Jan De Nul Panamá (JDN), for which more than 5,000 workers were hired directly and indirectly. Only the maritime area is 100% complete and it is estimated that the work will be completely finished by September 2022.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/cruise-season-begins-at-new-amador-terminal

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In search of creativity and initiative

Posted 05/12/2021

It is at times like this - when the country begins to recover from the pandemic - that creative officials with initiative who believe in what they do are needed, but unfortunately, it is inertia that acts as the wheels of progress in Panama.

Tourism is one of the biggest victims of the pandemic and of the measures to mitigate it. But the recovery is inversely proportional to the speed with which the restrictive measures were taken. The numbers are disappointing when compared to other countries, which have quickly risen to their feet. And it is unfortunate, because our advantages, comparatively, are better than in other countries: a population vaccinated almost 80%; visitors have the same benefits as locals in terms of vaccination; a competitive hotel offer in prices and availability; good connectivity; a dollarized economy, and tourist attractions, shopping, proximity, and ease for Latin Americans. And the tourists are there, ready to get out of the confinement. So, with all this, how come it doesn't start with momentum? It seems that we are anchored to laziness, because the Government should do more than contemplate how inertia is the one that takes the initiatives.- LA PRENSA, Dec. 5.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/in-search-of-creativity-and-initiative-1

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Agreement to develop Panama sportfishing

Posted 05/02/2022

A cooperation agreement aimed at creating a plan for the development of sport fishing has been signed by the  Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) and the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP).

One of the main objectives of this agreement is to generate an action plan for the.  "Sportfishing is one of the segments, through the Master Plan for Sustainable Development, that has the greatest potential within nautical tourism," said the ATP. It also proposes to quantify and analyze the spatial and temporal situation of the operations of the longline and purse-seine fleets that have an impact on the line of billfish in Panama.T

The project will also promote and attract tourism to the country, with and will generate jobs throughout the country's coastal communities says the ATP.

The administrator of the ARAP explained that with this agreement the necessary funds and technical assistance will be obtained to achieve the spatial fishing order, which will promote sport fishing in Panama, as an important economic activity, which permeates the entire society, especially in the most vulnerable places in the country. In less than 12 months they will have a proposal, which will be built jointly with sport and artisanal fishermen, to develop a pilot plan to promote sport fishing in the country.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/agreement-to-develop-panama-sportfishing

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Tourism world upside down

Posted 11/05/2022

The figures are alarming. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has warned that the impact of the restrictive measures issued in Panama during the pandemic will cause, from 2020 to 2023, no less than $12 billion in revenue to be lost in the tourism sector, including wages and profits that employees and businessmen will no longer receive, among other actors. And in the midst of the catastrophe, the government of Laurentino Cortizo has had the luxury of approving 100% tax incentives for private investments in this sector in the interior of the country, as if that would solve the problem of currently having more than 9,000 unoccupied hotel rooms. This contrast reveals that the government lives in a separate world, without contact with reality, and reflects unforgivable negligence in the handling of State funds. We are experiencing a crisis that could still get worse, and the only thing that occurs to politicians is to give away money from the treasury because what matters to them, above all things, is to please their friends or their "political investors" who seek tax benefits with projects that could hardly be defined as tourism or that can promote tourism. The world is upside down.- LA PRENSA, May 11.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/tourism-world-upside-down

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Reactivated tourism gives fillip to Panama economy

Posted 05/06/2022

The reactivation of tourism in Panama has provided a total economic impact for the country's economy of  $500,492,130  from January 2021 to April 2022. reports the Tourism Promotion Fund, (Promtur).

"Agreements with organizations such as Expedia, Hotelbeds, Copa Airlines, Air Europa, Edreams, Maxitravel, Dream and Travel, among others are a fundamental tool of our strategy to ensure the generation of demand, through the sale of the destination in the priority markets that are defined in the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism of the ATP," said Fernando Fondevila, general director of PROMTUR Panama.

Through these agreements, which include sales and marketing actions aimed at both the final consumer and the retailer, Panama's exposure in target markets was maximized.

The manager also highlighted the importance of alliances such as that of Hotelbeds, the world's largest bed bank, which is one of the most important agreements, in terms of its scope and the economic impact on the country.

"For 16 months Hotelbeds has continuously promoted Panama's hotels, tourism products, and services to travel agents, tour operators and suppliers that are part of the network," he said.

The agreement also contributed to positioning Panama as a tourist destination of interest to more than 60,000 buyers in the travel sector; and the progressive reactivation of demand from the US, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Argentina.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/reactivated-tourism-gives-fillip-to-panama-economy

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Panama strengthens its tourism promotion in the Netherlands and Germany

By Adrian Prozzo on July 8, 2022 in News from Panama

Panama reached a promotion and marketing agreement with the Dutch airline KLM, with which an economic impact of about $66 million is expected for the country, announced the Panama Tourism Promotion Fund known as Promtur Panama.

Through this agreement, which began in July and has an initial duration of 6 months, the airline will boost Panama’stourist attractions within the KLM route (Amsterdam and Panama), impacting the markets of Germany and the Netherlands.

More…

https://panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com/blog/news-from-panama/panama-strengthens-tourism-promotion-netherlands-germany/