In the 2019 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala fell back in the ranking, while the Dominican Republic was the only country that improved.
According to the report prepared by the World Economic Forum, during 2019 Costa Rica ranked 41 out of 140 countries. It was followed by Panama at box 47, the Dominican Republic at 73, Nicaragua at 91, Honduras at 94, Guatemala at 99 and El Salvador at 108.
In a fair held in Guangzhou, more than 200 business appointments were held between tourist entrepreneurs in Panama and buyers and travel agencies in the Asian country.
From a statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Panama:
The Tourism Authority and 9 companies certified with the seal of quality, which presented Panama as a modern country, with excellent infrastructure for congresses and conventions, air connectivity and tourist sites, managed to arrange more than 200 appointments, during the three days of exposition and business negotiations, at the Travel Fair in the province of Guangzhou, China.
In 2017, 42 operating licenses were authorized for tour operators and travel agencies, and 75 hotels throughout the country also began operations.
Among the licenses processed, 41 are type A (tour operators) and one type B (travel agencies). The province of Panama reflected the highest registry with 24 licenses, and the province of Chiriqui with 8.
On June 29, Nicaraguan entrepreneurs will be visiting San Salvador to meet with travel agencies and tour operators in order to explore business opportunities.
The objective of the Nicaraguan Tourist Entrepreneurs Projection (Preturnic), which is organizing the activity, is to improve the promotion of Nicaragua as a tourist destination in the neighboring country, and generate alliances with travel agencies, car rental companies and hotels, among others.
In coordination with the guild of private companies the Tourism Authority of Panama has announced the beggining of the international campaign "Vive Panamá".
At a meeting between government officials and companies in the sector strategies and development plans for the tourism industry in the medium term were reviewed.
The manager of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), Jesus Sierra Victoria, reported that for November the ATP will bring forward the campaign "Vive Panamá" which begins on the 1st and ends on the 31st, with offers for tourists, including dining and shopping .Tourists will receive personalized attention at airports with information on tourist sites in Panama, he added.
From 5 to 7 December 2012 the 18th interactive edition of the fair will take place in Panama in which tour operators from Central American and the Caribbean meet with buyers from Europe and the U.S.
MITM is a two-day interactive exhibition of, which is now 15 years old, providing market-oriented incentives, meetings and events, where tourism companies and travel agencies from the Americas and the Caribbean meet, in the form of pre-arranged individual appointments, with buyers from Europe and the U.S. to organize and set up incentives trips, meetings, conferences, congresses and events. Buyers are invited to participate in MITM after a rigorous selection process.