Canyon Crest Academy group to bring robotics to Panama


News from Panama

  Canyon Crest Academy students have come together to form a new nonprofit called STEAM in Panama. The organization’s focus is on sponsoring a robotics team for middle school students at the Metropolitan School of Panama. Currently, Panama does not have a regional robotics representation in the FIRST Lego League and the group aims to […]

July 26, 2017

Boom in Vacation Rentals


News from Panama

The Tourism Authority in Panama estimates that the supply of residences in the country that are rented out to tourists now represents 20% of hotel occupancy. Hotel occupancy remains at the same levels as a year ago, around 50%, according to data from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic.  According to hoteliers and […]

July 26, 2017

Airbnb to Pay Taxes in Panama


News from Panama

The company has proposed to the government that a tax collection scheme be implemented for property owners that rent out rooms to tourists using its web platform. Airbnb’s idea is to establish a system similar to the one recently implemented in Puerto Rico, where the company signed an agreement with the government to collect taxes on […]

July 26, 2017

100 years for world’s leading registry, Panama


News from Panama

The world’s leading registry, Panama, will mark its centennial on Dec. 15. In the months ahead, the Panama Maritime Authority plans various activities and awareness campaigns under the slogan ‘Panama’s 100 years of registering ships—joining ports, seas and people.’ The centennial deserves special recognition, according to Panama Maritime Authority administrator Jorge Barakat Pitty. Campaigns will […]

July 26, 2017

Central American Bananas: 78% bought by 3 Countries


News from Panama

In 2016 the countries in the region exported $2,393 million worth of bananas, and 78% of them went to the United States, the Netherlands and Italy. Figures from the Information System on the fresh and dried banana market in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [Figure caption = “Click to interact […]

July 18, 2017

Panama: Auto Sales Still Low


News from Panama

Between January and May of this year there were 24,553 new vehicles, 10% less than in the same period in 2016, reinforcing the downward trend seen since the beginning of the year. Figures compiled by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic indicate that 5,667 new vehicles were registered in May: 2,095 were automobiles (-17% […]

July 18, 2017

Coffee: How to Reduce Labor Costs


News from Panama

In Costa Rica, twelve farms are now using experimental technology to reduce the cost of weed control from approximately $250 per hectare to $50. Through the use of small tractors or modified motorcycles which have arms attached to them to perform fumigation, atomization, weed control and fertilization tasks at an early stage, Costa Rica is managing to […]

July 18, 2017

Panama’s Paid Paternity Leave Law Takes Effect


News from Panama

  Paternity leave is on the rise globally as cultural attitudes shift in favor of fathers taking a more active role in parenting. On May 24, 2017, the Republic of Panama became the latest member of a growing group of countries that require paid paternity leave. Law 27 of May 23, 2017, grants three business […]

July 18, 2017

How to squeeze a supertanker into the Panama Canal


News from Panama

  A year after a new and expanded Panama Canal opened to the world’s shipping industry, for the world’s largest oil tankers the famed 48-mile route still remains too small. According to a report by the research firm Morningstar, “the impact of the expansion on energy shipments so far has varied by commodity.” “Flows of […]

July 18, 2017