According to entrepreneurs in the sector lack of promotion of the country is the reason why one million tourists came into the country between January and May of this year, 4% less than in the same period in 2017.
The Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) reported that 1,091,008 tourists arrived in the first five months of 2018, registering a fall of 3.8% in relation to the 1,134,573 visitors registered in the same period in 2017.
Ernesto Orillac, president of the Panamanian Association of Tourism Operators (Apotur), told Prensa.com that “ … the current situation is critical, and pointed out that there is no indication of an improvement for the second half of the year. ‘We have not had a strategy behind the international promotion campaign, we still need to sign more agreements with tour operators, airlines, promotional caravans, and not just launching advertisements internationally.‘”
According to a report by the ATP, in the month of May, a total of 165,316 visitors entered Panama through the main ports of entry, which is equivalent to a decrease of 5.3% or 9,263 visitors less than in the same period in 2017.
The document adds that the expenditure made by visitors during their stay in Panama, in the period, was estimated at 2,162.7 million balboas, which is an increase of 2.6% over the same period last year and an absolute variation of 54.6 million of balboas.
See full report (In Spanish).
We are residents here and we love living here. But to come here for a vacation? No. It is not just marketing and incentives that is lacking to attract tourists; it is the preponderance of garbage everywhere that turns them off and the overall lack of customer service outside of the city. If people are going to spend thousands of dollars traveling, they are going to go to places that are clean, where customer service is top notch and safe water is not an issue. This is especially true in beach areas.
Panama has one of the most anti tourist policies of any government in the world. Not surprised that there are less they outlaw tourist services like airbnb stays one of the fastest growing tourist sectors in the world is outlawed in Panama, (In the name of helping hotels which have lost significant occupancy since the law was passed) Is also hard for any foreigner to provide tourist services in Panama, and if anyone looks anywhere in the world the tourist trade is driven buy foreigners. Then they spend $20 million and come up with the slogan “Panama NOT for tourists” I guess they at least recognized the reality of Panama. Panama does have more to offer tourists than most countries in the area, just refuses to allow tourist services to exist. Panama a service country that still does not understand service. I think the tourist policies of Panama or based on tourists being people foreigners that you can steal from while they are visiting. Sad how they do things in a country with so much potential.