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Panama's Tourism Shows No Signs of Deceleration
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By Jacob Ehrler
Panama continues to break tourism records despite the US economic crisis. Tourism metrics are up across the board from actual visitors entering the country to hotel occupancy rates. The majority of the people who travel to Panama are from the United States. The Panama Tourism Authority states that this growth is sustainable and will be maintained because Panama continues to diversify its market and products. This all translates to steady economic growth and big rewards for Panama Business.
Panama continues to break its own tourism records. Tourism Chamber president Jaime Campuzano told the daily "Panama America": "In 2009 the growth will be sustained because Panama continues diversifying its market and products." In 2008, 1.6 million visitors entered the country, some 211,472 more than in 2007. Of those travelers 1.1 million entered through Tocumen Airport.
On average, the number of visitors has grown by 12% per annum between 2004 and 2008. Last year, the USA was the number one provider of tourists to the country, with 308,991 visitors last year. In second place, 209,442 Colombians entered the country. Via land, 124,778 visitors came through Paso Canoas and 276,442 visitors entered through maritime ports.
The Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) announced that the spending average of tourists totaled $2.2 billion, a 23% increase over the 2007 figures. This represents approximately 12% of the country's Gross Domestic Product, which was $18.6 billion last year.
Hotel occupancy rates are also looking good "Category One" hotels (100 rooms or more) were at 79% occupancy with an 8.9 day average stay. Per-night hotel stays were up 12% last year, with a total of 2.5 million nights of hotel rooms sold.
The increase in demand, according to ATP General Administrator Carl Fredrik Nordström, is due to tourism generated from people who travel from Europe. Direct flights by KLM and Iberia (from Amsterdam and Madrid, respectively) and charters from Finland made great contributions to the positive tourism figures reflected in the 2008 report. Crime against visitors is a very important figure for industry leaders. Last year, 0.04% of the crimes committed were against tourists.
According to Panama Business and Travel S.A. an investment portal dedicated to providing investment news to foreigners, projections for 2009 will exceed 1.8 million visitors coming to Panama and the historical two million mark will be reached in 2010.
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Panama Chosen as a top 10 destination for 2009
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Panama has been chosen as one of the top ten destinations for 2009 by Budget Travel magazine, which offers travel guides, travel tips, and advice on trip planning, restaurant recommendations and city guides.
Why in 2009: Panama has led tourism growth in Central and South American countries for two years running, posting back-to-back 20 and 30 percent gains in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Last year, the country surpassed the one-million-visitors mark, welcoming 1.2 million leisure travelers. That's about how popular Costa Rica was in 1999—before it emerged as a solidly mainstream destination. Compared with Costa Rica, Panama has more animal species and a larger amount of preserved terrain filled with colorful macaws, monkeys, and endangered shore birds.
Main events: The Panama Jazz Festival, held January 1–17, will feature saxophonist Wayne Shorter's quartet (panamajazzfestival.com, from $10). Panama's Carnival celebrations, running February 2–24, are some of the largest pre-Lenten parties in the world. The bulk of the parades and revelry will take place in Panama City and Las Tablas.
Memorable moment: Climb Cerro Jefe (Boss Mountain) in Chagres National Park, whose summit stands nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. When the weather cooperates, you can see the Panama Canal and both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Back in the capital, thread your way through the cobbled streets lined with Spanish mansions in the colonial-era district of Casco Viejo, used as a stand-in for Haiti in many scenes in Quantum of Solace.
Price check: American Airlines Vacations has a three-night winter stay at the Veneto Hotel & Casino from $87 per person per night (aavacations.com). Keep a lid on costs by booking at locally owned inns. Among TripAdvisor's top rated B&Bs in Panama is La Estancia (011-507/314-1581, from $75 for singles and doubles). It's on a hill next to a nature reserve.
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$100 million investment at Fuerte Amador Resort & Marina
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By Andres Villa
This will be a busy year at Fuerte Amador Resort & Marina. To begin with, 40 cruise ships will arrive bringing an estimated 80,000 passengers. The continued development of the island will bring millions of dollars of investment in the form of villas, hotels and slips for mega-yachts.
The cruise season began in November and will continue on into the month of May. The passengers who choose to disembark from the ships are shuttled to the marina in runner boats. Holland America and Princess Cruises are the main cruise lines that stop at Amador, usually stopping overnight, offering the tourists a chance to enjoy the Causeway nightlife.
The real estate developer Fuerte Amador Resort & Marina, S. A. on Isla Flamenco expects to invest $100 million over the next four years. The next phase of construction will be of villas and a 300-room hotel on the top of the hill in the middle of the island as well as a five-star 100-room hotel right on the water.
Already, $40 million has been invested in Isla Flamenco, to include the 160-slip marina, retail shops and restaurants that will all benefit from the new investment. The area has a lot of potential and growth will be seen in all areas, says Fuerte Amador general manager Carlos Tuñón.
The marina will expand by 100 slips to accommodate 260 vessels, among them the megayachts that tourists love to see when visiting the island. International demand for slips that can accommodate these enormous ships is on the rise, says Tuñón. “We are one of few marinas which can handle these kinds of boats, whose arrivals are on the rise this season.”
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World Class Fishing in Panama
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Panama is home to numerous excellent fishing areas throughout the country. Some of those areas can even lay claim to world fishing records. Whether you prefer deep sea fishing or fresh water fishing, there is something for everyone here.
For fresh water fishing, there is no place better than Gatun Lake, which is located about 45 minutes from Panama City in the Panama Canal. Even if you do not have a lot of fishing experience, the fishing here is so prolific that it should not be any time before you are reeling them in.
If you want to try your hand at a world fishing record, head to Piñas Bay. This is the site of more such records than anywhere else in the country as well as the world. There have actually been more than 250 world fishing records established right in this location. The blue and black striped marlin that abound in the waters of this area are practically unheard of in any other location in the world. In addition, there are also large populations of Pacific sailfish as well as numerous other types of fish at various times throughout the year. Yellow fin tuna are some of the largest varieties that are caught frequently in the Bay, weighing in at between 150 and 250 pounds each. There are also other varieties which can be found inshore such as pompano, snapper, mackerel, grouper and roosterfish.
In the western area of the country you can fish for everything from small fish to big fish, including red snapper, blue marlin, black marlin, pacific sailfish and many other species. There is also a wide variety of different accommodation options from which you can choose for your fishing vacation.
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