During the National Tourism Convention CONATUR 2023, Alberto Alemán Zubietam, the president of the Board of Directors of Puerto Barú in David, Chiriquí, highlighted the potential of nautical tourism and the opportunities in Panama’s maritime sector.

Alemán Zubietam presented the Barú Adventure & Leisure tourist terminal, a pivotal infrastructure project that aims to establish direct connections between mini-cruises and mega yachts and the Gulf of Chiriquí. Historically, these vessels had limited interaction with the local population and commerce in the area.

In 2022, based on data from the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), it was observed that over 50 boats, carrying a total of 25,000 passengers, arrived in the Gulf of Chiriquí. Puerto Barú in David anticipates that, on average, these boats will dock at the pier for approximately 2 days, with 1 to 2 tourist boats arriving at the tourist terminal on a weekly basis.

Furthermore, a workshop conducted during the event elucidated the opportunities stemming from a port dedicated to mini-cruises and yachts in the province of Chiriquí. The workshop emphasized the profound impact such a port could have on the entire western region of the country.