The Panama Tourism Authority and Aeroperlas held a joint press conference this past Friday to inaugurate the flights to Pedasi.  ATP head Salome Shamah was in attendance, along with Pedasi area investors and Aeroperlas executives.  Rolando Pereira of Aeroperlas Airline gave a short presentation about the history of the airline and his belief in and reasons for supporting the Pedasi route.  He was followed by Mr. Shamah, who spoke of the importance for the public and private sector to work in conjunction to advance the connectivity of the country and foster tourism in remote parts of Panama.

Mr. Shamah ended the speech with a passionate plea to the private sector to not squander the natural resources of the Azuero Peninsula, such as Isla Iguana National Park.  Nereida Moscoso, owner of Hostal Doña Maria in Pedasi spoke on behalf of Pedasi area business owners about Pedasi as a destination.  A folkloric music and dance group, complete with Panama’s famous “polleras” gave a performance as the audience moved to the Aeroperlas hangar to see the specific plane that is going to be used for the charter.  Later that day, the locals in Pedasi held a celebration at the airport with music, flowers and fanfare as the inaugural flight of passengers landed.

A folkloric group, Shamah, and the team that helped support the flight

The flight was an initiative that began with Pedasi area investors. The group made a proposal to the ATP and Aeroperlas. Both agreed to assist with a subsidized flight to the area. The ATP offered matching funds for promotion of the flight and Aeroperlas agreed to run the flight on an experimental basis, pending a percentage of the tickets were pre-purchased by Pedasi businesses. Adolfo Linares and the Panama Chamber of Commerce also played a role in acting as the proxy on the agreement while the Pedasi Chamber of Commerce remains pending formalization.

Flights depart Fridays and Mondays from the Albrook Airport in Panama City.

12:31pm — Departs Albrook
1:26pm — Arrives Pedasi

1:41pm — Departs Pedasi
2:36pm — Arrives Albrook

COST:
Approximately $155 round trip, depending on gas tax

Among those businesses who have helped sponsor the flight:

Pedasi Fishing
Casita Margarita
Azuero Villas
Villa Esplenderosa
Villa Camilla
Costa Pedasi
Tedd Tennis, an area real estate agent
Kirk Johnston of Cafe Limon

The flight can be booked online at www.Aeroperlas.com. Be sure to remember that the flight runs only on Fridays and Mondays when searching dates.

Today I had a very positive meeting with Salome Shamah, Panama’s new Minister of Tourism (ATP).  Also in attendance were Adolfo Linares (head of Panama Chamber of Commerce), Rolando Pereira (Aeroperlas) and Jose Goldner (Pedasi area investor).  The subject of the sit-down was to discuss the need for a subsidized flight route to Pedasi.  So far, we’ve had a tough time garnering unconditional support from Azuero area investors to help back the effort.

The Azuero Investors group have in hand a deal that would see them sharing the financial losses with Aeroperlas of a 12-seat, Friday/Monday flight to Pedasi for a trial period of six months.  The flights are scheduled to begin in February and can be purchased now online at www.aeroperlas.com.  Going into the meeting, it was our hope to make the deal for Azuero investors a no-brainer via some guaranteed financial and/or marketing support from the Panama Tourism Authority.

I was pleasantly surprised at Mr. Shama’s openness to assist Pedasi during the meeting.  After a significant amount of back and forth between the various parties, the ATP agreed not only to provide promotion for the flight, but also to assist with a portion of the subsidy required to get the route off the ground.   We left the meeting with a tentative deal and some respective to-do items to complete.  I was shocked!

It is my hope as a travel agent and hotelier in Panama that this may be the beginning of something far bigger than Pedasi alone.  Panama has a network of airstrips throughout the country that are not being utlized.  Take a look at these flight maps of neighboring Colombia and Costa Rica.  It is my firm belief that for Panama to truly compete as a top-tier vacation destination, the powers that be need to connect its central provinces with rest of the country.  Some of Panama’s finest tourism raw materials are located in the mountains of Cocle, East and Western Azuero and the Pacific beaches of Veraguas.  Currently, it is so difficult to access these regions that very few tourists are lucky enough to wander there.

Colombia Flights

Colombia has a very thorough domestic flight network

Costa Rica Flights

Costa Rica has an impressive number of domestic routes to remote tourism destinations

Panama Flights Today

Panama’s current domestic routes ignore the entire center of the country

Panama Domestic Flights, Year 2012?

If Panama could connect the country’s “heartland” via an expanded network of domestic routes, it would open up exciting new destinations for travelers, business people and residents

Adolfo Linares of the Panama Chamber of Commerce (and law firm Tapia, Linares & Alfaro) was also been very helpful in offering support to promote the region through the Chamber and also assist the budding Pedasi Chamber in getting organized.  I’d like to thank both Adolfo and Salome for being instrumental in getting this project moving, as well as Rolando Pereiria of Aeroperlas for his patience throughout this process.

Now its up to the Azuero Investors to raise the capital to launch the flight and ensure that prospective visitors know that it’s available. This could be the tipping point for the Eastern Azuero’s tourism growth and moreover, a pilot program that can be mirrored throughout Panama. If all goes to plan, I believe that this effort can serve as a demonstration of private and public enterprise working together, as well as foreign and local business community organizing for the common good.

—-

Salome Shamah photo borrowed from Panama-Guide.com

I asked a few friends and fellow bloggers for their predictions for Panama in 2010.   Here’s a compilation of their opinions, which are as varied and colorful as my uncle Doc’s 8 kids.

Sam Taliferro, Real Estate Developer & Blogger
PrimaPanama

I foresee relatively strong employment, political stability and higher International profile.  I see light at the end of the tunnel regarding the state of corruption in Panama. Recent legal actions against past administration will send a clear message to all levels of current and future government officials. Canal traffic will continue to slow due to the world economy placing additional risk and higher costs to Panama borrowings to pay for the expansion.

Panama will see significantly higher costs of goods and services due to recent minimum wage increases and inflation of the U.S. dollar. Hotel occupancy levels will continue to deteriorate in the city as more product come on line and the world economy continues to slow.

The U.S. government will continue to apply pressure to Panama regarding the FTA agreement by demanding more bank transparency. Panama will be forced to compromise, but will maintain a strong IBC structure through their S.A. (Society Anonymous).  Multinationals companies will still look to expand into Latin America and Panama will lead the way due to infrastructure and location.

Apartment prices will continue to experience downward pressure as more product comes on line. Many speculators will walk as long term credit is not available for high price per square meter apartments. Bottom feeders will have a field day.

Most of the residential communities marketing to foreign nationals will see continued slow sales due to the housing bubble bust in the first world along with the poor economy. Only those with no bank burdens will survive. Project success in this climate will depend on creative marketing.

Although Panama tourism in general will slow due to the deteriorating world economy, Chiriqui province will see increased visitors (real tourism) due to new flights making the connection from Tocumen International to David. Nowhere to go but up!

Evan Forbes, Blogger
EyeonPanama.com

Socially:

Casco Viejo overtakes Calle Uruguay as Panama’s best nightlife district.  Calle Uruguay is overpriced and tough to get laid, for free that is.  Everyone wants to pretend like they are in Miami, and it is getting old.  Prive, Guru, and Gallery are always dead.  Casco Viejo on the other hand, is gaining steam with places like Relic, Mojitos and Havana Panama Salsa Bar (bad-ass by the way).  If you throw in a solid electronic venue you’re set.

The smart phone “App” craze hits Panama.  Digicel has made Blackberry’s ubiquitous in Panama.  Not just in Multi-plaza, but Albrook Mall. Expect smart phones to BOOM in 2010, just wait until Panamanians get their hands on the affordable IPhone plan.

Economically:

Rental Marketing continuing to soften – Casey, you predicted this in your 2008 article, but rental prices will continue to soften.  It will take some time to reach the rental market equilibrium due to zero property taxes on new construction, dirty money in the property market, and no creditable statistics to balance the market. But expect to see those $1,100 apartments I showed you to rent be listed for $850 by the end of 2010.

The rise of Panama’s middle class — Wages have gone up considerable over the last couple of years.  My canopy tour operator friend in Colon says there has been a noticeable increase from people living in Panama (locals, other Latinos, and Westerners).  In addition, Doug, a guy who lives in Pedasi, says he rents his beach house out to Panamanian young surfers guys.   2010 will see the continued rise of Panama’s emerging middle class and the tourism is starting to notice.

Politically:

Public Transportation –  Martinelli is making the improvement of Panama City public transportation a central issue to his presidency.  He has already create more one way streets and traffic lights.  This should make a minor impact.  However, 2010 will see new and improve public buses and the start of the Metro line.   Prediction:  traffic will be just as bad in 2010, but the foundation for an mass transit overhaul is being laid.

Rise of Protectionism — Panama has more and more companies moving to the Isthmus.  However, these multi-nationals are hiring cleaning ladies and security guards to meet their local hiring quota.   Expect 2010 to see a rise in nationalistic protectionism because the economic prosperity will not be tangibly felt by many locals.

Matt Landau, Blogger & Small Hotelier
The Panama Report

Distinctions between legit and illegit real estate projects will become evident. The majority of the country’s projects will either come to fruition or fade into oblivion and those that do materialize will see their true construction quality exposed in 2010.  One building in Panama City will falter structurally in 2010 and result in major catastrophe leading to a complete retrospection of safety and construction codes. This will be bad for investment progress and drive prices down further than they are already set to fall in 2010.  Of all neighborhoods in the capital, Punta Paitilla will be see the biggest drop in price/m2 and Casco Viejo will remain the most stable.

Ricardo Martinelli will continue on the warpath eradicating corruption and the amount of public figures exposed in 2010 will be stifling. His team (most particularly the tourism institute and commerce ministry) will enlist the insight of in-country expatriates in an effort to make Panama a more attractive place to foreigners. While both crime and unemployment will go up in 2010, the income gap will go slightly down, which is to say, the rich will stay rich while the poor becomes slightly less poor. That and Bosco Vallerino will not finish out his term as Panama mayor.

Panama’s soccer starlet Nelson Barahona – recently transferred to Medellin, Colombia – will have a breakout season and receive an offer from a second-tier team in Europe, becoming the country’s best futbol export since Jorge Dely Valdés. 2010’s rainy season will be unusually dry and Tiger Woods will invest in a large chunk of coastal land in the Azuero Peninsula.

Panama will experience a new (albeit small) natural disaster in 2010 – such as earthquake, hurricane, or tsunami – prior thought to be impossible. The effects won’t be drastic but it will change people’s perceptions about the country as a safe haven from Mother Nature. Panama’s new anti-drug naval air stations will prove immensely successful and the amount of drugs seized in 2010 will nearly double the (already insane) number detained in 2009. Panama will continue positive growth and the city of Colon will experience some kind of revolutionary event in 2010 that forces the government to give it some serious tender love and affection. Shopping and gambling will become two of the newest, most stable industries and of all name brands, Panama’s Trump Tower will prove itself the nicest completed project in the country.

Rob Riviera, Blogger
RobRiviera.com

I’ve been asked to make a prediction on what twenty-ten will bring for Panama and its interests. To tell you the truth, I’m not quite sure what will happen, but I can tell you what might happen: President Martinelli will continue to be the (space) cowboy he’s proved to be, and eventually will piss off someone with as much power as he. I will watch the fireworks from the sidelines of my LCD TV which costs half now than when I bought it a year ago (the thought still stings). The local news will become my new favorite TV show, since “Lost” is almost over and I’m a sucker for reality TV.  We will see more and more foreigners checking out the country and (Mc)lovin’ it, while Casco continues its metamorphosis into a beautiful touristy butterfly, pooping out the “evil vermin” and relocating them in the process, smelly cocoon and all. I know this because the kind ghetto lady who cooks plantains in the corner of Plaza Herrera told me so.

I won’t be able to recognize Bocas del Toro because it’ll look like an episode of “Wild On” with gringos who can’t dance included, and Pedasi will be in 2010 what Bocas was back in 2004: newly-discovered and at the peak of its underground status before it starts morphing too (mind you, I did not say “go to hell” because I like what’s happening there. Shout-out to Casita Margarita!). Come to think of it, all of the touristy areas in Panama (Bocas, Casco, Boquete, Pedasi, Colon) will or already are morphing. The Mighty Morphin’ Panarangers. Watch out for the Cholozord!

I can’t predict this, but I want to think that things will continue to get better. I hope people continue to be open to the possibility of having open minds. Things are different now than they were four years ago and that, dear reader, is progress I can get behind on and make sweet lovin’ to. Just when I start losing faith in my fellow Panamanians something happens that recharges my nationality battery and I predict I will keep feeling like the fight is worth it.

Oh, and Bosco gets the boot in 12 months or less unless he stops a terrorist attack, Jack Bauer style. In which case, better for me and my reality TV.

Carlos Berguido, Attorney
KBK Law Firm

I think Panama’s economy should benefit from a moderate expansion due mostly to the canal expansion and other public works. Tourism will also keep on being a very important factor, though I doubt we will see any significant growth there. Port activity will remain so, while the airport will continue to grow. Banking will definitely get more conservative, as was last year’s case, but in general, I agree the economy should grow.

Politically, I see some turbulence ahead, as the new government has proven very capable at creating enemies, and fronts. They seem to be acting in haste, and as a result, they are making many mistakes that will (or should) be capitalized by a smart opposition. The government’s popularity stands to drop, and it seems they are very keen on fixing that front with populist measures that will have a cost, both economic and socially, when those measures are withdrawn, as fiscal situation deteriorates after the spectacular improvement brought on by the real estate and investment boom.

Okke Ornstein, Blogger & Journalist
The Isthmian

Rising Crime and Violence

There’s no comprehensive policy or strategy to fight crime or its causes and the police efforts are a total joke (checkpoints, “war on drugs” and other such nonsense). Government takes populist approach of mano dura, which is counterproductive. Look for gangs to professionalize, i.e. learn from their counterparts in El Salvador and Guatemala or even Brazil, and stay ahead of the police. As crime offers bigger rewards, police will cross over, like in Mexico. Turf wars between rivaling gangs and cartels, and Panama as the back office of black globalization. This process is already ongoing.

New Leftist Party

With the PRD in shambles and with it its fake progressiveness, there’s ample space on the left to start a new political group, and I think FRENADESO will do that this year. If member organization SUNTRACS throws its weight behind it, it will quickly have enough members to become a viable political force. There’ll be lots of infighting though, because the Panamanian left is disorganized, some groups may not want to include the “leftists” coming from a dysfunctional PRD, and unlike in Venezuela and Bolivia for example, there has been little ideological development in Panama (SUNTRACS only a few years ago featured Lenin and Comandante Castro prominently on its website). This thing should be fun to watch, if only for the rabiblancos shitting their pants.

Economic Mayhem

Forget all the hype about 5% economic growth and investment grade and other such crap dished out by Capital Financiero and the Latin American Business Chronicle. They said the same about Peru and of course it didn’t happen. The screwed up bond issue of last month is a sign of what’s coming in Panama; Martinelli promised a myriad of very expensive infrastructure projects while the state is mired in debt, can’t raise more money and isn’t even able to provide acceptable levels of public service (migración, judicial system, road maintenance, seguro social, etc.). Increasing taxes and fees and such will help a bit but not enough. Good luck with the MetroBus and the extension of the Cinta Coimera and the cleaning of the bay and the highway along the Atlantic coast and the Canal expansion and other such grandiose schemes that will, as the hype has it, solve all our problems once and for all.

The common denominator in all the above is Lack Of Vision. Like Matt wrote in a recent piece about tourism, it’s a little bit of everything resulting in mediocrity, but this goes for almost every sector of society all the way up to our President99 who doesn’t get much further than “we’re open for business”. Duh. This won’t change in 2010, no matter how much we write about it, because ruling elites (be they dictatorships or oligarchies) do not tolerate real talent near them that might threaten their rule, and SuperMartinelli is no exception.

Consequently, if there is any economic progress (or any other progress for that matter) to report it will come from global trends that Martinelli & Co have no control over, such as corporations from the north offshoring operations to jurisdictions where it’s more economical for them to operate. Some of that will come to Panama, despite our government’s inability to make up its mind if we should compete on quality workforce, infrastructure, cheap labor, easy immigration etc. (true to form, they’ll try to have a little bit of everything and end up with nothing, or, as the Russians say, “chase two rabbits and catch none”. The BIG challenge of 2010 will be for individuals and small businesses to hedge against economic downturn and government bungling/reduced legitimacy of the State.

On a more positive note, I also predict that after the majestic failure of the “Biggest Christmas Party of the World”, Bosco the Clown will launch a new initiative to create the “Biggest Easter Bunny of the World” on the Cinta Coimera and, during the live televised inauguration ceremony, will be hit by one of the parachuted giant easter eggs when that shute, made by his family company under a highly controversial contract, failed to open. There was nothing they could do any more at the Santo Tomas Hospital when he arrived there.

A small group of area investors and business owners in the sleepy beach town of Pedasi have banded together to help foster tourism growth in the region.  The group is attempting to raise funds through the local Chamber of Commerce to help subsidize a limited flight route through regional airline Aeroperlas.  Under the proposed plan, the flight would run Fridays and Mondays for a test period of six months. and the Pedasi investment community would be required to absorb part of the cost of unsold seats.

Located on Southeast tip of the Azuero Peninsula, this remote region is the center of Panama’s folklore and tradition. Known for many festivals, including the famous Carnavales celebrations and the picturesque traditional formal women’s dress La Pollera.  Pedasi is a quaint seaside village with charming Spanish Colonial architecture.  Attractions include great weather, unexplored Pacific beaches and Isla Iguana National Park.  This island is just 15 minutes offshore and offers white sand beaches, turquoise waters and excellent snorkeling.  The region is known for world-class tuna fishing, scuba diving and great surfing in nearby Playa Venao.   There are a handful of small Pedasi hotels and B&Bs in the area, but tourism is still still in its infancy.

According to Aeroperlas, the first flights may run as soon as early February and can be booked online at their website. If you are interested in contributing to the opening of the flight, email casey@costaricapages.com.

Even though Panama is riddled with beautiful beaches and rain forests, sometimes it just feels good to get out of the tropical climate without having to leave the country.  There are some mountain communities that provide this escape, but a place called La Yeguada really transfers you from Panama’s tropical climate and landscape to a setting that would more likely be found in the Colorado Rockies.  Centered around a small lake lined with pine trees and boulders, La Yeguada is the perfect low-key escape to whisk you to another place and climate without leaving the confines of the isthmus.

La Yeguada is part of a forest reserve that was created to protect the lake, La Laguna de La Yeguada, which has been used for hydroelectric energy for the past 40 years.  The pine forest, creating the forest reserve, was planted over 30 years ago, and these trees are really what transports you to an alpine setting.  The area has picturesque rivers and streams along with beautiful waterfalls.  The lake has wonderful swimming, and a 50-foot tower in the middle of the water serves as a great diving board for those adrenaline junkies out there.  The climate is dry, with pleasant days and cool nights.

ANAM currently maintains the reserve along with a lakefront campground.  The clearing for cars and tents is clean, good-sized and relatively flat, creating a great place for camping.  A basic latrine is on sight and there are plenty of places to have bonfires.  The ANAM station located close to the campground maintains the up-keep of the sight and is also a great source of information for exploring the surrounding area.

If you are camping on the weekend I would recommend arriving on Friday evening or early on Saturday.  We arrived late on Friday night and got a great spot considering there was only one other group present.  By Saturday afternoon, the SUVS rolled in and people were throwing tents anywhere they could find open ground.  Although it got a little chaotic, as long as you grab space on the edge of the camping sight, you can create your own space and can maintain some privacy.  Our group was fairly large and we got a great fire going at night with barbecued chorizo and plenty of wine.  The wind blowing through the aged pine trees combined with the moon’s reflection on the lake made for one picturesque night that was both unexpected and very welcomed.  As a lover of camping and the outdoors, La Yeguada is a special and unexpected place in the heart of an unusual Panamanian wilderness.

Located about 5 hours out of the city, La Yeguada is the perfect weekend destination with friends or family.  The only accommodations are what you bring, including water and toilet paper (for us ladies).  Don’t forget the s’more fixings and bring a sweatshirt for the nights.  Check out below for details and directions:

DETAILS AND DIRECTION:

How to get there:

• Head West on the Inter-American highway toward Aguadulce
• About 10 minutes after passing Aguadulce, look for a sign on the right hand side for El Jaguito.   Turn right here off the Inter-American Highway.
• From El Jaguito head to Calobre
• From Calobre head to La Yeguada (Calobre is the last small town before La Yeguada.)

La Yeguada is about 40 miles off the highway and can be a little hard to find.  The small pueblos along the way will be able to guide you in the right direction if you find yourself lost.

Camping Fees:

2$ for each adult

2$ per car

5$ per night per group

ANAM will come to collect the fees from the group after your arrival.

With another tourism forum on the horizon (see end of article), I thought it was time for me to review my notes of the annual AMCHAM tourism forum, which was held in September of this year.  Nancy Hannah, the chair of the tourism committee at Panama’s AMCHAM, put together another successful and well attended tourism forum in Panama City.  The event took place at the Miramar hotel.  This was the fourth such event that I have attended and as somebody who has worked in tourism in Costa Rica for over a decade and in Panama for six years, my expectations for the event and perspective on its value are likely different than from other attendees.  That being said, here were my impressions of the forum.

A First Look At The New Tourism Minister

I went to get a peek at and hear from the new ATP (formerly IPAT) head, Salome Shamah. He brought along an entourage, including an associate who spoke about the infamous “tourism masterplan” and other goals for the new ATP team.  It was more or less the same shtick we’d heard for five years from the previous administration, so nothing huge to report there.

What WAS notable is that Mr. Shamah was gracious and interested enough to stick around the forum for several hours after he spoke. That’s something former Minister Blades only did in his final year in office.  I had another encounter with Mr. Shamah a few weeks later in Pedasi which was quite positive and merits a separate article. It is clear that “Salo” is a no-nonsense sort of guy, but perhaps a bit over-confident given that he has zero tourism experience. I am hopeful that he is a step forward from the prior administration.  He’s proven to be a very competent marketing/pr guy, as evinced by his winning campaign slogan for President Martinelli, “Los Locos Somos.”

An Array of Guest Speakers

Boquete developer and super-blogger Sam Taliaferro offered his qualified opinion on what President Martinelli can do to achieve his bold goal for Panama to become “The World’s #1 Place to Do Business”. Sam spoke about the need to foster small business growth (YES!) and create an environment that will attract entrepreneurs who can assist the organic growth of Panama’s “interior” provinces.  He also hammered on his belief (one that was hotly contested by former Tourism head Ruben Blades) that residential tourism is a necessary part of a sustainable tourism plan.

Glen Jampol, operator of the famed Hotel Finca Rosa Blanca in Costa Rica talked about best practices in sustainable hotel operation.  It was highly informative and I hope eye opening to tourism operators in Panama who are not yet keen on “going green”.  I really appreciated Glen’s attendance.  I suggested him as a speaker to Nancy as my agency in Costa Rica works with his hotel. I admire his efforts as a true pioneer in the green tourism movement.

Adrian Benedetti, the new Director of National Parks for the National Environment Authority (ANAM), cited the abysmal fact that less than 3% of tourists are currently visiting Panama’s ill-maintained national parks.  His goal is to increase the appeal of the country’s 82 protected areas. First on that list is Volcán Barú in Chiriqui, home of the country´s highest peak. I was thrilled to hear about this initiative.

KC Hardin, owner of Arco Investments, a company focused on the development of Panama’s historical Casco Antiguo district, gave a passionate plea for protecting Casco Viejo with a sustainable development plan.  He stressed the importance of creating a growth model that does not to cordon off nor shut out the “human heritage” that makes Casco so special.

Fidel Reyes, a hotel consultant, gave one of the more odd speeches of the day, citing statics that categorically prove that Panama tourism is growing faster than any region on earth, recession be damned!  I thought his creative use of stats to prove his beliefs was impressive, but I disagreed with about 98% of his points.

Province Reports

In a change to the usual format, there were then “area reports” from a select group of professionals who operate in each area.  Renee Kimball of the Tranquilo Bay resort in Bocas del Toro spoke on the community efforts to clean up some beaches and educate boatmen to be better informed tour guides.  Donny Estrada of Crown Land gave an emotion-filled chat about the community building efforts that their group is spear heading in the little known Caribbean coast of the Veraguas province.  Pedro Fabrega, owner of the Los Mandarinos hotel in El Valle Anton, spoke about the Cocle tourism cluster, a respectably organized effort among area business owners to co-promote their related businesses. A friend of mine, Ivan Morales, was unfortunately unable to deliver the Azuero Report due to illness.  Ivan is a Mexican born architect who works for a New York design firm tasked with building a beach estate near Pedasi for the Prince of Lichtenstein.

Final Observations & Suggestions

• New Format, Please! — I am personally worn out by the extremely long and tedious “awards show” format that has changed very little in six years. I think it would be far more valuable to those inside the tourism community if the format were changed to involve more interaction, more Q&A. Rather than having a few tourism “gurus” speak down to the audience, I want to hear what all those who are actually operating in the industry have to say. It would be FANTASTIC if a government official would even have one breakout session that’s simply a town hall Q&A.  Imagine that!?
• Workshop It — Dividing up the afternoon into multiple workshops would allow for even more speakers, moderators and attendees could then pick and choose which they wish to attend. This would make the day far less tedious and would allow for a lot more interesting and intimate discussions.
• Service, Shmervice — New ATP head Solome Shamah seems like a sharp guy, but his comment along the lines of “Panama’s service sector isn’t as bad as you all say, look at how great our banking and Canal services are!” won my “what planet are YOU on?” moment of the day.  Fidel Reyes won a close second with his repeated “Recession, what recession?” mantra.
• Lots of Back Slapping — The general mood and tone I got from the event was that Panama has already arrived and the war is won. It felt like an awards ceremony where we were all supposed to applaud our 5th place finish. I’m a little frustrated that there wasn’t more honest discussion about how far Panama has to go and the tough decisions we need to make to get there.
• Thank You Nancy — I thank Nancy Hannah for slugging out the planning and promotion of this forum every year and her undaunted belief in the future of Panama tourism, even when some of us aren’t so positive.

The AMCHAM forum has been so successful that other tourism forums are springing up.  Panama’s local small business chamber is holding one on November 24th.  Here is their press release below.  I hope that increased interest and discussion regarding the future direction of Panama tourism is trend that continues.

Tourism: the First Force for Development

The Panamanian Association of Business Executives, announced the launch of the XIV annual Tourism Forum -FOTUR 09 “Tourism: the First Force for Development” to be held on November 24 at the Miraflores Visitors Center of the Panama Canal Authority.

Tourism has evolved, its influence remains strong in the income and projection that our country has been receiving internationally through the years, the aim of this forum is to highlight how tourism is an economic activity in the short run which may become the main force for development.

The XIV Forum wishes to provide the tools necessary to make the tourism sector, working together with state, mark a positive difference in the economic reality that our country faces.

Among the topics being discussed in this activity are: Colon from cruise port to an international destination, the first 100 years of success of the Panama Canal, airport infrastructure for tourism development, legal security for investment in tourism, sustainable tourism development and Panama 2014: America’s Tourism Capital.

During the conference the chairman of the Committee on Tourism, Alberto Quiros Jaén, said there will be free transfer from the coastal strip to the Miraflores Visitor Center, courtesy of Adventuras 2000.

CONTACT: Yrisbeth Solano  ysolano@apede.org
Coordinadora de Comisiones
Departamento de Relaciones con los Socios
Asociación Panameña de Ejecutivos de Empresa (APEDE)

The idea of Isla Coiba is like something created in fiction. A 500 square kilometer island surrounded by one of the largest coral reefs on the Pacific coast of the Americas with an ecosystem comparable to the Galapagos.  Combine the ecological wonder with the fact the island was an operational no-cell penal colony until 1994 and you have an adventurer’s dream.

Isla Coiba is Panama’s rawer version of San Francisco’s Alcatraz.  A prison set on an island guarded by heavy currents and shark-infested waters making escape nearly impossible.  Where Alcatraz also has hypothermic waters added to the mix, Isla Coiba has thick, dense jungle interrupted only by brackish rivers and lagoons inhabited by jumbo-sized crocodiles.  Isla Coiba really starts to get spicy when you add in the factor prisoners were set loose between four isolated prison camps with the prison guards locking themselves into cells at night for their own protection.

In 1994, Panama created Coiba National Park, comprising of 38 islands and their surrounding waters.  The prison on Isla Coiba officially closed and its tenants were sent to other prisons with only a handful of “well-behaved” prisoners staying to fulfill their sentences.  In 2005, UNESCO name Coiba National Park a World Heritage Site.  Today, ANAM manages the island and has created a place for visitors to stay in one of the 4 prison camps.  Lodgings are rustic with electricity and water only running from 6pm-2am.  There is a dining hall with a kitchen that is used to prepare meals and the edge of camp is bordered by a beautiful lagoon inhabited by a 12-foot crocodile affectionately named Tito.

Because Isla Coiba was a penal colony, access to the island and the surrounding waters was very restricted.  80% of the islands’ natural resources have survived untouched and flourished through limited human contact.  Consequently, the ocean in Coiba National Park is literally a playground of friendly tropical fish, dolphins, sharks, whales, turtles and rays.  In the two full days I spent snorkeling in Coiba, I saw countless fish, turtles and some good-sized reef sharks.  The coral is alive and colorful and the water is as clear as the Caribbean.  The scuba diving in Coiba is supposed to be one of the best in the world, with one of the main attractions being shark encounters – large shark encounters.  Hammerheads and Tiger Sharks are not uncommon sightings but the real star is the presence of the massive whale shark.  Weighing in around 21 tons and measuring on average at 35 feet, swimming with one of these ginormous fish is a chance of a lifetime, and a possibility in Coiba National Park.

Getting to Coiba is not an easy task and will put a dent in your wallet.  It is almost necessary to go through a tour of some sort, and I would honestly recommend it.  As lovely as the beach is at the ANAM camp, the surrounding islands are breathtaking and it’s great to have a knowledgeable person taking you to the best snorkeling spots.  The tours will also take care of all food and preparation, which is a huge bonus, as you need to bring everything with you.  Ancon Expeditions is a popular tour organizer and be prepared to go with a group around 8.  I had a group of friends come and visit making my party 8 people.  We ended up hiring Gilberto, the head of the outdoor adventure group, the Excursionistas here in Panama.  Gilberto is fluent in English and was an awesome guide.  We spent our days snorkeling and playing on deserted islands.  We also went to another prison camp that has been set-up to show tourists what life was like in the prison.  At the time we were there (April 2009), there were four prisoners left on the island.  One, whom was wielding a machete and cutting open coconuts for us, had only 12 days left of his 20-year sentence.  The prison camp was fascinating and just another reason to go through a tour of some kind.  Gilberto is a hard man to get a hold of and is often busy guiding other adventures, but is never the less a great option.

Most boats leave for Coiba from Santa Catalina.  There are a few companies in Santa Catalina that offer day snorkeling and diving trips to Isla Coiba, which is a great alternative if you do not have the time to stay on the island or just don’t feel like roughing it.  However you end up experiencing Coiba National Park is irrelevant.  The important thing is experiencing it.  Coiba is one hell of an adventure and something that is truly unique to Panama.

Contact Information:

Club de Excursionistas del Istmo:

Phone Number: 66370467, Contact – Gilberto

http://www.ceipanama.com/

Ancon expeditions of Panama

http://www.anconexpeditions.com/

Santa Catalina Boat Tours:

http://www.santacatalinaboattours.com/boattrips/islacoiba.html

Scuba Coiba:

www.scubacoiba.com

ANAM:

http://www.anam.gob.pa/joomla/

Phone: 998-0615

National Park Office Phone: 998-4271

There are a few things to remember when losing or getting your passport stolen in Panama.  The first is to not do it on a weekend.  The second is to not do it on an American holiday.  The third is to not do it on a weekend followed by an American holiday, with plans to fly out on said holiday.  A friend who was recently visiting was kind enough to do all of the above in order to let the rest of the population know exactly what to do in such a situation.

The first thing to do after realizing your passport is gone is to NOT report it to the local police.  Contrary to popular belief, the police in Panama City do not handle these types of situations.  In order to save you the time of running around the city to different police stations, go directly to the Centro de Asistencia a Victimas located in Ancon.  The building is attached to the national police station and handles emergencies of people living in or visiting Panama.  Here, you will fill out a form with all your personal and passport information, which will be stamped by the office.  This stamp and form will serve as your identification document in case you are stopped by police and asked to see your passport.  This office is also where the passport would be turned in if all the stars and planets align to perform a miracle.

After reporting your passport missing to the office in the Centro de Asistencia a Victimas, the next step is to go to the American Embassy in Clayton to obtain a temporary passport.  The American Embassy is closed on all weekends and American national holidays.  If you lose your passport on a Saturday and the following Monday is say, Columbus Day (not speaking from experience), the soonest you will be able to obtain a temporary passport is Tuesday morning.  There is nothing to be done during this time except relax and maybe drink a couple of extra cocktails.  If your flight is scheduled for any of these days prior to the Embassy opening, get on the Internet and start looking for new flights.

Once the Embassy is open, things are fairly easy and uncomplicated.  Obviously, the more documents you have to prove your identity the better.  My friend had a copy of her passport, a copy of her birth certificate, her tourist visa, 2 passport photos (these are necessary and can be obtained from any local photo shop) and the form from the Victims Center.  We arrived at the Embassy at 8:15 am and left with a temporary passport at 11:30 am.  My friend hopped on her re-scheduled flight 2 hours later.  If you do not have copies of your passport and birth certificate be prepared to be interviewed and any friends to be interviewed in order to prove and certify your identity.

The moral of the story is, when traveling anywhere keep your passport in a safe place and always carry a copy and something that proves when you entered the country.  In Panama, carry a copy of your passport and your tourist card.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• The Centro de Asistencia a Victimas is located in Ancon off the inter-American highway heading toward Albrook.  Once you pass the neighborhood of Curundu on your right, on the left side will be a yellow building that says “Nacional Policia.”  The center is attached to this building.

• All the information you need before going to the Embassy can be found on http://www.state.gov/

• Don’t forget your 2 passport photos!

• The phone numbers for the American Citizen Services office in the American Embassy in Panama are (507) 207-7000 or (507) 207-7030.  If you lose your passport on the weekend or on a holiday, call these numbers.  On the state gov website it states that someone can issue an emergency document to allow you on a plane.  Even though it did not work for my friend it could work for you.

Kuanidup Island

Ever since I first visited the San Blas Islands, I have been convinced that this large archipelago in the Caribbean makes Panama special.  A different palm strewn island for every day of the year, owned and governed by a native population and affordably available to the public – sounds like a dream.  My convictions were recently confirmed by a weekend escape to the beautiful island of Kuanidup, located 40 minutes by boat from the airport laden island of El Porvenir.

If you ever want to impress guests visiting to Panama, take them to Kuanidup.  The island is no bigger than a soccer field with rugged cabanas and hammocks swinging under the palm trees.  The sand is white and fine, and the water off the island is crystal clear and begs to be soaked in.  The only sounds playing in the wind are the gentle lapping waves and the breeze rustling the palm frawns.  If you have ever once dreamed of being on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean, your dream has just come true.

Kuna Children

Like most places to stay in San Blas, Kuanidup comes in one set price that covers your room and three meals per day.  At 65$ a night, the island is a little more expensive than some, but the hearty meals of fresh seafood and the ideal setting more than covers the charge.  Also included in the price is a daily excursion.  The guests that arrived a day before us had been taken to a sunken ship with amazing snorkeling.  On the day we arrived, our excursion was to a Kuna village.  The cultural experience in the village was unbelievable, and our surprising presence confirms the suspicion that San Blas is still off the tourist radar.

As picture perfect as the San Blas Islands sound, they are not for everyone.  There is nothing on the islands but sand and water.  If you enjoy a bustling setting, these islands are not for you.  Two nights are the most you need on an island, and if you enjoy passing time in a hammock with a cocktail, I suggest bringing your own bottle.  Kaunidup sold beer and bottles of wine, which proved to be an added bonus as the night turned into a bit of a party with our new friends who shared the island.  Filtered water was free and always available and soft drinks were also sold.

San Blas can be reached by car or airplane.  Most travelers we met on the island had hired a car and someone from Kaunidup had picked them up from the mainland Kuna Yala.  Taking a car is definitely the affordable way to go, and a ride will cost around 20$ per person one way.  Expect the drive to take around 3 hours, depending on the weather.  We were under time constraints and flew to El Porvenir, where we were also picked up by a boat to take us to Kuanidup.  Airlines Air Panama and Aeroperlas fly to different islands in San Blas.  Hotel reservations are necessary for any of the islands in order for someone to meet you at the dock to take you to your respective lodging.

Lonely Planet has various recommendations for places and islands to stay in San Blas.  I heavily recommend Kuanidup, however, lodgings are rustic.  The floors of the cabanas are sand, and bathrooms and showers are shared.  If you are interested in staying on the island, the phone number for the Kuaindup Cabanas is 66356737.  More than likely you will speak to a man named Milsiades, who handles the reservations and money.  You will need to meet with Milsiades prior to leaving for the islands.  He met us in the Albrook airport before our flight and took our money and told us the name of the person who would be meeting us on El Porvenir.  If you are driving, you can arrange to meet somewhere prior to heading to Kuna Yala.

I recently had the privilege of being a guest for the weekend at one of the beachfront homes in the community of Buenaventura.  This visit was my first to Buenaventura, and after hearing both negative and positive reviews about the community, I was very curious to see and experience it with my own eyes.

There is a persistent whisper in Panama City that Buenaventura is not doing well.  The relatively newly built El Faro Club House is not being put to use along with the impressive long and large Miami-esque pool that stretches to the beach.  Whether this whisper is regularly true I cannot say, but this experience was certainly not the case during my stay.  The pool and clubhouse were packed with families, both Gringo and Panamanian, the entire weekend.  The eight lovely “cabanas” that line the pool were in constant use, and finding an empty lounge chair was quite the challenge.  The clubhouse was working overtime to accommodate the persistent drink and food requests, and the bar had extended their previous closing time from 5:30 to 6:30 – perfect for ordering a sunset margarita.

People boast the stretch of beach that fronts Buenaventura is the prettiest on the Pacific (excluding the various Pacific islands of course).  After having explored a lot of Panama and her Pacific beaches I can verify that this statement is mostly true.  The fine, almost white sand stretches under the palm tree lined, clean beach that peacefully stretches for miles.  I said the statement is “mostly true” because there is a bit of human cheating that creates this beautiful beach.  The community staff regularly patrols the beach picking up trash and unwanted palm frawns that have made their way to the sand.  Every morning the beach is combed and prepared for the guests and residents of Buenaventura.  If every beach in Panama had this kind of attention, there would probably be other nominations for the prettiest beach on the Pacific.

The Buenaventura beachfront homes seem to be an example of poor community planning.  Most of Saturday on my weekend getaway was spent lounging in the home’s private pool (I know, tough life).  When we awoke on Sunday morning, a wet yard and a very foamy, dirty pool greeted us.  Due to a large swell that weekend, the tide had reached the house during the night dumping ocean water into the pool.  The community attendants told us that we were not to use the house pool because they now needed to drain and clean it.  Furthermore all the furniture downstairs was to be moved to the 2^nd floor because there was word that the swell was going to increase and the tide was going to come into the house.  I understand that flooding is a possible risk whenever living near water, however, this scenario turned out to be one that the community residents were very familiar with and apparently “happens all the time.”  Whether this statement is an exaggeration or not, it does pose the question of whether the beachfront homes were poorly designed.

Despite flooding and furniture moving, my experience as a guest at Buenaventura was wonderful.  If given the opportunity I would not hesitate for a second to go back.  The beach is beautiful, the pool and clubhouse are very accommodating and the service is outstanding.  This February I will be attending a wedding and staying a night at the Bristol at Buenavenutra.  This expensive hotel has also created a certain reputation and I will be very curious to compare the hotel and the community homes to see where is better to stay in Buenaventura.