On May 25 and 26, a meeting of tourism companies from Central America will take place in Panama City, in which buyers from all over the world will take part.
The International Tourism Expo 2018 will be held at the ATLAPA Convention Center, in Panama City.
The meeting, organized by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama, will involve more than 160 international issuing wholesalers from Europe, North America and Latin America, with the aim of seeking service providers and tourism products.
Between January and June, 219 thousand tourists came into the country from Europe, 6% more than the figure recorded in the first half of last year.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute:
During the first half of 2017, Europe showed steady growth in international arrivals (8.4% by air and a 6% increase for all routes to the country), according to data provided by the Directorate General of Migration and Aliens and analyzed by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.
In Costa Rica the new convention center, still under construction, is missing out on opportunities to promote itself overseas due to a delay in the tender to hire a company to manage it.
Companies in the tourism sector state that most major events and congresses are negotiated up to two years in advance, and because the convention center does not have an management company to set rental rates for the site and other aspects, the possibilities for promoting it abroad are reduced.
At the tourism fair to be held on May 11 and 12 it is expected that 5000 business meetings will take place between local businessmen and 290 representatives of 200 wholesalers from 34 countries.
The 32nd Expotur, Costa Rica's main tourism exchange forum, will be held from May 11 to 12 this year at the Centro Kölbi Viva Park in La Guacima, Alajuela.
From June 19 to 23 companies working in convention tourism will be meeting in Antigua with international buyers and suppliers in order to develop business opportunities.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute:
Guatemala January 26, 2017.The Guatemalan Tourism Institute, INGUAT together with the Convention Bureau of Guatemala, announced that the City of Antigua Guatemala will host the Latin America Meetings and Incentives Travel Exchange, Lamite, from June 19 to 23.
The company's proposal states that in just two months it could start making tax
payments, putting to the test the responsiveness of bureaucracy against the speed of the real economy.
Airbnb, one of the leading global companies that is taking advantage of the momentum that the technological revolution has provided to the collaborative economy, has now created a housingsupply available for seasonal rental in Costa Rica which is equivalent to 18% of the supply of hotels.
On June 21 and 22 local and foreign tourist companies will be meeting to discuss issues such as using technology as a tool for promotion and hearing about successful experiences from other countries.
From a statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Panama:
The Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) and the Panamanian Chamber of Tourism (CAMTUR) will be holding from June 21 to 22 the first National Tourism Convention "Juntos por Panama" (CONATUR), to establish a strategy with all stakeholders in the sector, which will strengthen the country's tourism supply.
Participating for the first time are Nicaragua and the United Arab Emirates as exhibitors, and buyers will be coming from Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Italy, Colombia and Sweden, and other places.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (CCIAP):
International Tourism Expo, in its seventh version, will feature more than 150 exhibition booths, which will be displaying to national and international companies, working in different areas of tourism, in 3,000 m2 of the Atlapa Convention Center in the exhibition which will be held on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 May.
The government has announced the opening of a consulate in Shanghai and other efforts to open others in cities where there is high purchasing power in an effort to attract people to the Costa Rican tourism sector.
From a statement issued by the Government of Costa Rica:
Tourism is one of the axes that form part of the strategic partnership relations between Costa Rica and China, with concrete actions leading to an increase in visits by tourists , the beginning of efforts to establish a direct flight and contact made by tour operators.
In Costa Rica the union is opposed to the decision of the Ministry of Finance to charge 13% VAT on tourism enterprises for the use of protected areas.
From a statement issued by the National Chamber of Tourism:
Wednesday July 23, 2014. Perceiving it as a serious threat to the tourism industry, the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) categorically rejects the decision of the Ministry of Finance to extend the interpretation of Article 1, Section C of the General Sales Act, which taxes, with 13 % Value Added Tax on all State Protected Wild Areas, considering them to be provision of recreation services.