Panamainfo’s Blog

I have lived and traveled to most countries in Latin America and I always say that in my experience, Panama is one of the safest countries for tourists and that furthermore the Panamanian people are some of the most honest. One of Panama’s top two daily newspapers just did an interesting experiment that proves me right. Panamamerica placed leather wallets with a small amount of cash and ID cards in 15 random places around the city- from schools to churches to the race track. Of the 15 “lost” wallets, 11 were turned in right away to the local guards or respective offices. Almost all were turned in by people of modest means. Bravo Panama!

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The Scoop on New Hotels To Be Built Soon: 1, 906 rooms in the next 3 years:

One of our biggest concerns in the tourism industry is the shortage of hotels in Panama City. Sometimes you cannot get a reservation. For large meetings it is recommended you now reserve 1-3 years in advance.

Fidel Reyes, a top Bern hotel executive, just did some research and came up with this list of all the hotels certain to be built in Panama City and nearby opening for sure from now until 2010.

134 Rooms The Holiday Inn City at Knowledge Opening March 27, 2008

102 Rooms The Radisson Colon 2000 Hotel and Casino Opening April 15th, 2008

134 Rooms The Bristol Buenaventura Opening December, 2008

103 Rooms The Radisson Summit Golf And Resort Opening April 2009

80 Rooms The Panama Marriott (ext.) 376 total Opening late 2009

125 Rooms The LeMeridian Hotel Opening June 2009

128 New Rooms Courtyard by Marriott (ext.) 248 total Opening fall 2009

800 Rooms Megapolis Condo-Apart-Hotel Opening late 2009 FIRST PHASE

300 Rooms Rennaissance Panama Opening late 2010

TOTAL: Aprox. 1,906 New Rooms in 3 years, counting the 800 condo-apart-hotel units, I’m sure some other small properties will open around the Marbella, Obarrio and San Francisco area.

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Panamainfo’s High Google Placement: Panamainfo is comes up on a Google Search of “Panama” # 2 or # 3. out of 130 million sites. It also comes up high under many other keywords. We are the first commercial site, with only wikopedia regularly topping us. Basically, any one doing a search on “Panama” will find us. We are receiving about 1500 unique visitors a month who spend an average of 5 minutes on the site.

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Beating The Crowds To Panama

Panama is one of the key crossroads in the world, the land bridge between North America and South America and the waterway between the Atlantic and the Pacific, yet it seems to be perpetually a decade or two behind always-trendy Costa Rica in drawing crowds of tourists. This is true even though Panama has all the elements to qualify as a Central American hotspot: teeming wildlife, sandy beaches, scuba diving, world-class fishing, widespread English proficiency, reliable transportation and a cosmopolitan capital city.

Coasting Along the Pacific

The steamy glamour and air of infinite possibility that lure people to Panama in search of a new life is not exclusive to its capital, Panama City. High-end residential developments up the Pacific coast and on the islands scattered off it promise to deliver the requisite combination of oceanfront setting, high-tech communication systems, stylish architecture and cosmopolitan multiple home-owning neighbours.

Panama’s Hottest Secret

If you’re looking to get ahead of the game, Panama City’s Casco Viejo is as up-and-coming as it gets, says Vicky Baker. Go now before the word is well and truly out.

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In 1999, Newsweek magazine published a graph with the Pinkerton Intelligence Agencies assessment of tourism safety for all the countries in the world. Panama rated the top category for tourism safety- the same as the United States.( I have a copy of the article) Good news- Nothing has changed- Panama is still one of the safest countries in the region for tourists- The American Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee just met with the head of the National Tourism Police and Panama’s rate for tourism crime is .03- about as low as it gets. It is almost all petty theft. FYI, there are some current problems with robberies in hotel rooms when guests have left, which they are working to solve.

I have traveled extensely in Latin America and making comparisons, I did not need these stats to know that Panama is a safe place for tourists. In so many other places you have to be constantly on your guard and robberies of tourists are common place.

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Boutique Hotel
Palo Alto Boutique Hotel: Called “the finest accomodations in Boquete” by Frommers Guide. We recently stayed at this fine small hotel and found it to be an oasis of good taste and luxurious comfort. We also think their on-premise gourmet restaurant is fabulous.

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EXPAT PARTY: A New Way of Business Networking, Creating Jobs and Marketing Companies in Panama!

Attracting new customers for your Panama business can be challenging. Two Panama City companies figured out a fun way to conduct business networking, create new jobs and market their companies by throwing a party for foreigners.

The Expat Party created a way to invite foreigners living in Panama to network and meet these two companies. Instead of a traditional “open house” at an office, these entrepreneurs decided to co-host parties at some of Panama’s most lively nightspots.

The Expat Party was created by professional model Ursula Kiener Ford (Owner of Forlacol Insurance Company) and Steve Houston (General Manager of Panama Real Estate Group) as a way to promote their companies to Expats.

The Expat Party now has a Yahoo Group called “PanamaExpatParty” which announces upcoming parties and exciting free raffle prizes.

The next Expat Party is Friday, March 14^th with a St. Patrick’s Day theme Expat Party.at the ONE bar on Calle Uruguay & Calle 49 next to Don Blas restaurant and across the street from Peperconcini .Restaurant.Doors open at 8 p.m. Private Expat Party until 10 p.m. Free Entrance until 10 p.m. when the ONE normal cover charge takes effect and the doors open to the public.

Contact for additional information call:
Ursula Kiener Ford (office 214 – 6939 & cel. phone 6676 – 5151) and
Steve Houston (office 391 – 6648 & cel. phone 6670 – 7769)

The next Expat Party is on Friday, January 11^th at the Sahara Bar off Calle Uruguay in the club district of Panama City beginning at 7:30 p.m. The party offers free admission, half price drinks and fabulous free raffle prizes including a free night for 2 at the 5 star Punta Brava hotel on Catalina Beach, plus a free 1-hour Salsa dance lesson by Nelly Gallardo Dance Studio and even spa treatments at the swanky Alta Vita Spa near the Multi Plaza Mall. A live rock & roll band will play at 10 p.m. (instead of the normal 1 a.m.) with free entrance for all partygoers.
Contact for additional information call:

Ursula Kiener Ford (office 214 – 6939 & cel. phone 6676 – 5151) and

Steve Houston (office 391 – 6648 & cel. phone 6670 – 7769

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The Haven Spa at Valle Escondido Resort and the Panamonte Hotel: This spa specializes in alternative health treatments. The Haven is a most welcome addition to our tourism offerings because baby boomers seek alternative health to stay well and get well. Now you can go to Boquete to both have a good time and improve your health. We have heard many anecdotes about people have been cured or helped by them- my own husband got rid of some knee arthritis by following one of their suggestions.

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A New Law and the Difficulties for Latin Americans to Get Visas to the States are Causing Panama City to become the Next Miami.

Why have Dell, Hewlett Packard, , Proctor & Gamble, Caterpillar and the United Nations have all decided to make Panama their regional headquarters? The answer is simple: Today Panama is the best place in Latin America to live and do business.

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