Panama ranks third in Latin America as a favorite tourist destination

Gustavo Him, Minister of Tourism, said that Panama occupies the third position in Latin America as one of the preferred tourist destinations, and at the international level it is in the 41st position.

This was stated during the first meeting of Diplomatic and Consular Officials, where he spoke about the marketing strategies and objectives developed by that entity for the promotion of the country.

The 2017 Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Fund highlights Panama as the third tourist power above Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina, due to its geographical location and favorable environment for doing business.

Him detailed that the marketing strategy is focused on positioning Panama as a tourist destination, increase hotel occupancy, strengthen the tourism brand and increase visits to 3 million tourists in 2019.

Of the total number of visitors to the country, there was an increase in the arrival of 244,053 cruise passengers from January to August 2017, compared to the same period in 2016, which was 132,002.

Meanwhile, from the entry of tourists by Tocumen Airport from target markets such as Canada, 28,735 visitors were registered from January to August 2017, compared to 2016 which was 25,800.

The Minister of Tourism also announced the 5 most visited sites, according to a survey conducted in areas of boarding of the airports of the country to tourists who visited us in a period of 3 to 10 days that are the Panama Canal (41%), Casco Antiguo (31%), Isla Colón (15%), Cinta Costera (12%) and Amador (11%).

Canal Expansion receives first neopanamax cruise of the season

The MS Caribbean Princess, from the Princess Cruise line, today became the first neopanamax cruise to navigate the locks of the enlarged Canal during the 2017-2018 season.

The boat, with 3,086 passengers on board (maximum capacity of 3,600), began its journey in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where it will also culminate the crossing, passing through the ports of Bahamas, Cartagena (Colombia), Cristóbal (Panama), Limón (Costa Rica) and the Cayman Islands.

Upon arrival at the Agua Clara lock, in the Atlantic, passengers of the Caribbean Princess will take the opportunity to travel to several tourist sites in the cities of Panama and Colon. For this season has planned the transit of 236 cruise ships.

In addition, 11 of these vessels will transit the Panama Canal for the first time. They belong to the Princess Cruise, Norwegian Cruise, Carnival Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Silverse Cruises, Lindblad Special Expedition and CMA CGM lines. In addition, a total of 20 transits will be added to the new Neopanamax locks of the Caribbean Princess, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Splendor, Norwegian Bliss and Disney Wonder ships. 

During this season, Norwegian Bliss, the largest passenger vessel (4,200 passengers and 164,600 tonnes) will be able to pass through the enlarged Canal on a repositioning cruise to the west coast of the United States and then start its cruise season in Alaska.

And as in previous years, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line, among others, maintain their proposal to offer itineraries to complete transits and partial transits that include Panama, in particular the interoceanic route.

Other smaller cruises that will also cross the neopanamax locks are the Wind Star and the National Geographic Quest expeditions, which will carry out itineraries of seven and eight days, respectively, to the west coast of Central America. The MS Caribbean Princess cruiser was built in 2004, and has a capacity of 112,894 tons. It is a modified Grand Class cruiser, has 900 cabins with balcony and a terrace with mini-suites. It was the first modern cruise with an outdoor theater, which Princess announces as "Movies under the Stars".

This will be the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal

Photo by: La Estrella

The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) received proposals from four companies aspiring to design and build the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal, which will be ready in a 42-month period, costing more than $ 1 billion.

This work is considered the second largest in the country, after the expansion of the Panama Canal.

Photo By: La Estrella

The new bridge will benefit more than one million residents of the province of West Panama and will not affect the operation of the Panama Canal.

The fourth bridge project has an extension of 6.5 kilometers from Albrook Mall to the entrance of Panama Pacifico.

The new bridge will have a cost with barrier free toll with a portico similar to those that will be installed in the current corridors.

235 Cruise Ships to Transit Canal

235 Cruise Ships to Transit Canal

THE BIGGEST  cruise ship scheduled to pass through the Panama  Canal during the 2017-2018  season is still under construction.

The Norwegian Bliss has a capacity for 4,200 passengers and will be one of 235 cruise ships that will pass through the expanded locks during the season says the Canal Authority (ACP).

The Island Princess, which will leave the US city of Los Angeles, will inaugurate the season.

From Newsroom Panama

The expansion of the canal, which cost more than $5.6 billion, allows the passage  of neopanamax, ships with the capacity to transport up to 14,000 containers, three times the load that passes through the century old route.

Container transport is still the main business of the waterway  route, but the new locks have allowed the canal to open to other products, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) and  large cruise ships.

On April 29 The Disney Wonder, carrying almost 2,800 passengers, became the first cruise ship to use the new locks.

The Canal built by the United States. at the beginning of the last century was transferred to Panama on December 31 December 1999, and accounts for about 6% of world trade and connects more than 140 sea routes and 1,700 ports in 160 different countries.