The Cabinet Council approved several impact measures for the reactivation of the tourism sector and the economy, including the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025.
The Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism (PMTS) 2020-2025 will focus on strengthening the institutional capacity of the ATP, investing in the country's tourism promotion, improving the tourism products offered by Panama and in infrastructure, maintenance and basic services.
In Panama, there are plans to develop in Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Archipelago de las Perlas and Punta Chame, five lodging projects that seek to benefit from the Law on Incentives for Tourist Investments.
Law 122 of December 31, 2019, which dictates incentive rules for the promotion of tourist activities in the interior of the Republic, attracted projects for the country, for a total value of $371,843,971 in new tourist investments, to be built in areas with great tourist potential, informed the Presidency of Panama.
CIFI and BID Invest authorized a loan for West Report S.A. to develop, build and operate a hotel complex in Bocas del Toro.
The new hotel, which will have 118 rooms, several restaurants, a spa and other meeting places for its guests, will be operated under the brand name Viceroy Hotels and Resorts, reported CIFI.
In Panama, a bill was approved that will grant tax exemptions until 2025 to those who make investments in hotels and recreational activities.
On December 31st, President Cortizo sanctioned the bill that provides tax incentives to the tourism sector by modifying some of Law 80 of November 8th, 2012.
On a 360-hectare property in the district of Chirú, in the province of Coclé, the project plans to begin building the basic infrastructure for the subsequent development of a tourism project.
According to the interactive information system "Construction in Central America" by CentralAmericaData, Desarrollo Turístico Solmar, S.A. presented the Environmental Impact Study to the Panamanian authorities of the project called "Development of Basic Infrastructure for Solmar Tourism Project."
With the purpose of diversifying its income and attracting more visitors, the authorities of the Panama Canal plan to develop new tourist attractions during the next five years.
Representatives of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) informed that after the Canadian firm Forrs conducted a study to identify the attractions that could be developed, it was concluded that some of the investments that will be granted in concession for its exploitation are the expansion of the visitors center and the construction of a new one, a 2,500 m2 park for children's activities and the operation of a cable car.
The updated plan to develop the Amador Causeway proposes taking advantage of the stretch between the Biomuseo and Naos Island, and building recreational areas on platforms on piles there.
The Administrative Unit of Reverted Property (Uabr) reported that the study of the master plan updated by the firm Tourism, Business & Planning (C4T), recommends the installation of six platforms that will house recreational areas, which would be built on piles overlooking the entrance to the Panama Canal. "...They would be a kind of piers or platforms on piles, where various businesses would be operating. "
Businessmen from the Panamanian tourist sector welcome the arrival of Air China flights in March 2018, but consider it will be a challenge to attract a type of tourist that seems to prefer very different destinations than those offered by Central America.
In a region which for many years has specialized in serving North American tourists and more recently Europeans, preparing to provide the attention demanded by tourists from China will be a challenge, according to the Panamanian tourism entrepreneurs themselves.
In Panama companies dedicated to the activity are complaining about the absence of a state policy or strategy to help promote the country as a destination for medical tourism at the international level.
Although Panama has all the necessary characteristics to make it a relevant market for medical tourism, a specific policy to promote the activity led by the Tourism Authority could encourage much more development of the activity in the country."...'The only disadvantage Panama has as a destination for medical tourism is that this sector has not been recognized by the state as a tourist product or a real feature of its organizational infrastructure,' said Luis Santamaría, general director of Panasalud S.A., to Prensa.com."
In the past 12 months, 78 environmental impact studies were submitted to develop hotels, marinas, clubs and beach residences in Central American countries.
Data from the interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData:
Almost five years after the Tourism Benefits Act was approved outside of the District of Panama, it has been announced that the regulation will be ready in the coming weeks.
The regulation of Law 80 of 2012 was prepared by the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) and has been sent to the Ministry of Commerce and Industries for approval. The document establishes the requirements that investment projects and tourist activities outside of the district of Panama must meet, in order to be eligible for tax exemptions.
Using the Pura Vida Wellness concept, Costa Rica intends to take advantage of a global market valued at $563 billion, with tourists whose average spending exceeds 130% of global average tourist spending.
The aim of the Costa Rican Institute is to develop this segment, which has great market potential, in order to diversify and consolidate the country's tourism supply.Global wellness tourism grew by 11% between 2013 and 2015, according to data from Global Wellness Tourism Economy.
A plan is being made to develop residential buildings and a 614 room hotel complex in a 25 acres area in the touristic area of Rio Hato, Panama.
The promoter of the project, Agro Playa Blanca SA, detailed in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the Ministry of Environment, that the development will be called "Agro Playa Blanca Phase II", and will be built in Rio Hato, district of Antón, province of Cocle.
Between January and June 2015 general tourist spending grew by 14% compared to 2014, with the number of travelers arriving from Central America growing by 30% .
A report by the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) reveals that in the first six months of this year, visitors who were in Panama spent $1.909 billion, an average of $10.5 million per day.
The report said that between January and June the number of visitors to Panama reached 1,334,255, of which 78.5% were tourists (who stayed at least one day and less than 12 months), 13.8% cruisers, and 7.6% Day visitors, those who remainede in the country for less than 24 hours.
Tourism companies have denounced underspending in the budget for international promotion of the country and assert that the official figures for hotel occupancy are not real.
Industry representatives argue that the hotel occupancy rate published by the Tourism Authority merely represents a sample of some large hotels in the capital ", while data from hotels in the interior of the country are not even taken into account in the statistics.