Panamainfo’s Blog

Folks,

As the Chair of the Tourism Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce, if you have an interest in tourism in Panama, I recommend you come to this excellent, informative foru.

American Chamber of Commerce 8th Annual Tourism Forum

Wednesday Sept 10th

2pm- 6pm

Shertaton Hotel and Convention Center

Price: Amcham members: $25

Non-members: $30

Students: $15

Reservations: Call Amcham 301.3881

Featured Speakers

Ruben Blades, Minister of Tourism : IPAT’s Recent Accomplishments and Future Plans

Dr. Ed Sanders, President, Ecotourism International

Why Ecotourism is the Most Profitable Tourism for Panama and How To Do Make It Happen

Lic. Melissa Vallarino, Director INDESA

Chiriqui Shows the Way: Boquete’s Tourism Master Plan

Vittoria Ghini: Best Practices: Cala Mia Boutique Hotel, Boca Chica

John Miller, Founder, Boquete Outdoor Adventures, The Case for Developing Panama’s National Parks: Profit and Preservation

Fidel Reyes, General Manager, Playa Bonita Intercontinental Resort: Todays Tourism Industry in Facts and Figures

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Reading these days about the misery and worry of the havoc caused by Hurricane Fay in Florida…- I can’t help being grateful that Panama has no hurricanes. In fact Panama is the only country in Central American and the Caribbean that has neither hurricanes nor major earthquakes. Pretty nice.

Panama’s weather is not perfect- the tropical heat and humidity of Panama City and most of the rest of the country is hard to bear- air conditioning is a must. With air conditioning I hardly notice the heat and humidity and heat..going from my air conditioned home to an air conditioned office, or store or mall… But Panama City evenings and early mornings are near to perfect- fresh, cool and the same 80 degrees or so the whole year….perfect for walking and jogging outside.

The climate in the highlands and mountains of Panama in places like El Valle and Boquete- spring-like weather all year around.

Another Panama weather convenience is that throughout the country temperatures hardly vary year round- which means you can wear the same kind of clothes year round- this means less clothes cost and clothes hassle.

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I just spent a morning with some visiting relatives strolling around Casco Viejo. It was my first time in CV in about a year and I was very surprised to see all the development in less than a year. There were quite a  few new excellent souvenir shops and restaurants and most surprising of all were the number of buildings being restored. Shortly after, I read in an article in La Prensa about the hopeful new pace of restoration in CV with a quote from Ariel Espino who said that there are 800 buildings in CV and that they need 16-20 new buildings to start being restored each year for CV and that that pace has finally been hit. Indeed CV is clearly developing into what will be one of the most beautiful restored Spanish colonial sectors anywhere. As Arthur Frommer of the Frommers guides wrote recently, CV looks set to be more beautiful that San Juan Puerto Rico and will rival Cartagena.

CV has stunning bay and ocean views throughout the neighborhood as well as a delightful variety of architectural types from Spanish colonial to 1920’s Art Deco styles. And the Panamamanian and foreign investors are doing both beautiful and authentic restorations.

If you go, make sure and have some yummy ice cream in the French ice cream store, Granclement and for souvenirs check out both the beautiful Reprosa jewelry store and the Galeria de Arte Indigena, perhaps the best souvenir shop in all Panama.

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