Between 2017 and 2018, the number of visitors who entered Panama through Tocumen International Airport grew by just 0.3%, the equivalent of some 6,000 more passengers. The numbers for 2017 compared to 2016 were not good either: Although in the period concerned the average expenditure of tourists grew, the total number of visitors remained unchanged, at 2.5 million people.

These figures contrast radically with the investments that have been made in the expansion of the Tocumen terminal in recent years, as well as in other infrastructure projects linked to tourism.

"... ‘There is important work to be done to increase the flow of these tourists' (i.e. those who come to Panama to spend more than one night), acknowledged the general manager of Tocumen, Oscar Ramirez during the presentation of five-year results of the air terminal a few days ago. 75% of the 16.24 million passengers who passed through Tocumen last year, did so in transit."

"... However, the pace of Tocumen's investments exceeds, by several digits, the airport's revenues. Tocumen's latest public financial statement reveals that construction works in progress, counted as assets until September 2018, reached the value of $1,071.78 million. That amount expanded 27.5% in just one year, with the main part of that investment benefiting Odebrecht, which is currently executing the work."

As reported by Laestrella.com.pa, another of the pillars of Panama's tourism attraction strategy is the "hub" concept of the Americas, with which Tocumen seeks to position itself as a bridge to other markets. The problem is that, given that the country is not a major issuer of passengers, the strategy is based on connecting travelers from different parts, for which significant sums have been invested in the conditioning of the airport to serve these connecting routes.

At the same time, the Panamanian government has also invested heavily in international tourism promotion strategies, as well as in subsidies to foreign airlines to feed connecting routes and attract more tourists.

"... It is an aggressive economic bet with public funds, which added to the $500 million invested in the old town of Colon in the hope of rising as a tourist city, surpass two billion, placed on the table to reactivate the industry without chimney and attract tourists in mass that the country waits so long."

Source: laestrella.com.pa

More on this topic

Tourist Arrivals Up 6% up to May 2018

June 2018

During the first five months of 2018, the Dominican Republic recorded the arrival of 2.8 million tourists, 6% more than was reported in the same period in 2017.

From a Report by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic:

The arrival of non-resident passengers by air to the Dominican Republic, including foreigners and Dominicans, registered a year-on-year growth of 7.0% in the month of May, reaching a total of 506,178 passengers, equivalent to an increase of 33,290 passengers with respect to the same month of the previous year. Within this result, the segment of foreigners presented an annualized variation of 6.0% (24,867 additional tourists) and non-resident Dominicans experienced an interannual increase of 13.7% (8,423 additional passengers). 

Flow of Travelers Passing Through Tocumen Up 12.3%

October 2013

During the first eight months of 2013 5.1 million passengers transited through the main airport of Panama.

The number of passengers who travelled in that period is greater than the 4.5 million tourists who came through the air terminal in the same period in 2012, indicated by data supplied by the Department of Statistics at Tocumen International Airport.

Increase in Air Traffic in Nicaragua

September 2013

Over the last four years passenger traffic at Nicaraguan airports grew by 7.5% .

This was reported by the International Airports Management Company. In the first eight months of 2009 345,473 passengers arrived at Managua International Airport .

Official statistics show that July was the month when the most tourists entered the country, with 56,257 visitors.

North Terminal at Tocumen Airport Inaugurated

January 2012

With an investment of $100 million the works of the Panama Airport North Terminal have been inaugurated.

A press release from the Tourism Authority of Panama reads:

The north terminal at Tocumen International Airport has been formally opened, a project which was developed with an investment of $100 million, as part of the expansion and remodeling of the main air terminal in Panama.