Panama to attract travellers from ME

At such an important time for the reactivation of post-pandemic tourism, Panama is reinforcing its image as a destination for leisure and business travel. Part of this task is carried out together with the main actors in the commercialisation chain, such as tourism service providers, tour operators, wholesalers and travel agencies.

With this objective in mind, PROMTUR Panama will hold a virtual fair called Explore Panama, in order to generate a commercial space where buyers and sellers can interact. The event will be held on October 20 and 21, 2021, and will have 20 virtual stands for local exhibitors, including the Tourism Promotion Fund (Promtur Panama), and is expected to attract around 350 travel agencies and wholesale operators from markets, which, through a commercial agenda, will be able to interact with key suppliers of the Panamanian tourism industry.

Panama will present the tourism activities that will lead this year and in the future, under the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025 (PMTS). The plan revives the ‘Tourism – Conservation – Research (TCI)’ strategy by highlighting the country’s extraordinary natural, cultural and historical wealth with a strong focus on destination sustainability through research and conservation actions.  The updated strategy focusses on three fundamental pillars: Cultural Heritage (multifaceted culture), Green Heritage (extraordinary biodiversity) and Blue Heritage
(ocean wonders).

The event will allow real interaction between exhibitors and buyers in a 360-degree environment with customisable virtual landscape, virtual private meeting rooms, chat, browser-based chats, presentations and live keynotes.

Explore Panama will be held within the framework of Expo 2020 Dubai, where Panama will also have a physical pavilion.

Edgar Lacker, CEO, AVIAREPS, virtual fair organising company for PROMTUR Panama, “We are happy to support Panama in the development of this project, at such a decisive moment. We are proud to have local teams in the priority markets for Panama as a tourist destination for the MICE and vacation segments, to support all the tasks”.

Ivan Eskildsen, Panama’s Minister of Tourism, said that Panama’s presence in important international fairs where the MICE and vacation segments are combined, offers a range of opportunities for the country to showcase the extraordinary richness and diversity of its nature, culture and history, as well as the modern infrastructure in Panama City, ideal for holding major events.

Fernando Fondevila, CEO and General Director, PROMTUR Panama, “Panama continues to stand out as a leading destination in Latin America for vacation and meeting tourism, and we are proud to join an international audience during Expo 2020 Dubai to present the country’s many tourism attractions. With the reopening of meetings and conventions at 25 per cent capacity, the early opening of the new convention center and the activation of our Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, we have much to share and are ready to welcome tourism.”