Thanks and a hat tip to Don Winner for this timely post.

The hotel occupancy rate in Panama City and in the interior of the country now stands at 85%, thanks to Panama’s attraction as a tourism destination during Carnival.

Jesus Sierra, president of the Panamanian Association of Hoteliers, attributes this success to the recent advertising campaign that has been highlighting the Carnival celebrations in Panama City.

But some tourists and Panamanian families prefer to get away from the hustle and bustle to enjoy other attractions, among which are the beaches within the country as in the provinces of Colón (Costa Abajo) Bocas del Toro, and the Kuna region.

In other cases people simply enjoy the cool climate offered by Antón, Boquete, Volcan and Bambito.

He adds that in many cases hotel operators are fully booked, and as soon as there is a cancellation they can go to a waiting list and immediately assign the room to someone who is on standby.

He added that during Easter week it’s difficult to get rooms because everything is booked. (Panama America)