The Vice President and Minister of the Presidency, José Gabriel Carrizo, attended the inauguration of the new board of directors of the Panama Chamber of Tourism (Camtur) and announced that the National Government will invest more than $776 million in tourism infrastructure projects.
“The Secretariat of the Tourism Cabinet of the National Government is coordinating, together with the different executing units, the investment of more than $776 million in tourism infrastructure projects, in 6 of the fastest growing tourist poles,” he said.
These works include energy services, drinking water, roads, docks, visitor centers and trails, among others. Among the projects is the Panama Convention Center, which has 90 applications to attract events to the country between 2022 and 2027, which represent an economic injection of $80 million.
Ovidio Díaz, who was sworn in as the new president of Tourism of Panama (Camtur), took office and swore in all the members of his board of directors for the period 2022-2024, in a ceremony that took place at the headquarters of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).
The vice president pointed out that “tourism enhances the use of the country’s natural resources, its privileged location on the continent and the heritage made up of places and constructions of incalculable historical value.”
For his part, Díaz said that “tourism offers great opportunities, tourism is all of us and it is the economic sector that can most easily generate opportunities for all.”
According to Díaz, one of the most important challenges of the union he presides over is “the unity and commitment to perfect an action plan so that more than 800 tourism companies walk together in one direction to achieve the best results.”
Carrizo indicated that there are 25 events between meetings and congresses that will take place in Panama, of which 17 are agreed for 2022. Some of these events this year are the Annual Maritime Conference, the Latin American Congress of Technology and Innovation and the Robotics Olympics.
One of the important investments mentioned by the vice president is the Amador Cruise Port, in which docking tests are being carried out and it is expected to be operating this year.
The new president of Camtur stated that the Tourism Master Plan will be followed up as a roadmap.
He stated that Camtur must carry out a market study of the different destinations and products that Panama offers and thus determine which markets they should go to sell those products and destinations.
Meanwhile, the outgoing president of Camtur, Ernesto Orillac, indicated that with the organization of the National Tourism Convention in September of last year, tourism was opened in Panama.
The fundamental objective of Camtur is to promote the promotion and development of tourism in Panama, for which it brings together the different sectors or guilds of tourism activity, promoting the country abroad and promoting the development of infrastructure and tourist facilities.
In addition, it promotes the approval of laws for the benefit of the tourism industry and carries out joint actions with public and private entities both in Panama and abroad.
