Panama attracks US tourists

Panama will promote tourism in Boston, New York and Washington next year based on statistics indicating from where the country received the most visitors in 2018.

Up until August, more than 216,000 American tourists entered Panama, making Americans the primary visitors in Panama. 

Other data collected from Expedia, a site specializing in tourist trips,  indicates that the American tourists spend the most during their vacation and will usually book their trips 30 days in advance. For this reason Panama has decide to focus on the American market in the upcoming year. 

Events will be organized in the first quarter of 2019 by the private sector, which includes hoteliers and tour operators and Panama’s airline, Copa Airlines. For its part, the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) will be in charge of the logistics of the event in the three cities.

The organizers commented that the idea of the events is to create business relationships with American tourism companies in order to promote Panama in the U.S.

This year the private sector also promoted Panamanian destinations in Canada.

President of the Panamanian Association of Tour Operators, Ernesto Orillac , explained that Panama’s promotional efforts should be concentrated in the United States. "The market studies always show that the American tourist is curious to know about Panama because of the history that unites both countries," he said. 

The most visited destination by American tourists this year was the Panama Canal.

Liriola Pitti, executive director of the Tourism Promotion Fund, said that the United States will be the priority market for the fund.