Panama seeks to prevent tourist drop after Quake

The Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) is maintaining its efforts to prevent a drop in tourism activity after the earthquake of October 9, while assessing the impact on destinations in the interior of the country and seeking to preserve jobs linked to this industry.

Gloria De León, administrator of the ATP, said it is maintaining the international promotion of the country to sustain the arrival of visitors and prevent the emergency from generating the perception that the entire national territory is paralyzed.

“We cannot stop (…) Our destination is ready to receive,” the administrator emphasized.

During visits to the affected tourist areas, the agency identified different situations in Santa Catalina, Veraguas, and Playa Venao, Los Santos. In Santa Catalina, hotels and restaurants sustained minimal damage and remain open, but some of their employees lost their homes.

in Playa Venao, two hotels were severely damaged, while the rest of the establishments remain open and ready to receive visitors. However, their employees are also facing the consequences of the earthquake.

The ATP seeks to coordinate actions with the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (Miviot) to contribute to the recovery of the affected areas and keep tourist destinations operational.

The strategy also includes a country branding campaign to promote destinations that remain operational and support the recovery of those that were affected. Among the places that are maintaining their operations are Panama City, Isla Colón, in Bocas del Toro, Tierras Altas, Boquete and El Valle de Antón.

The ATP’s goal is to reach 3.2 million visitors by the end of 2026.