"We are committed to innovation and the creation of tourist products with great power of differentiation and that appeals to the type of authentic experiences," said Iván Eskildsen, ATP Administrator
The five-year update of the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism (PMTS) 2007-2020, with progress of 50%, was presented by the consultant of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Augusto Huéscar, to managers of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), the National Chamber of Tourism of Panama (CAMTUR), the National Council of Tourism (CNT), the Network of Chambers of Tourism of the Interior of the Country, the Panamanian Association of Hotels (APATEL), the tourism commissions of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) and the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE), among others.
Huéscar, who has also been responsible for updating or drafting tourism plans for other destinations such as: Paraguay, Nicaragua, Colombia, Georgia, Spain, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan or Armenia, explained to industry leaders through a virtual workshop How is the plan being modified to adapt it to the new post-Covid-19 reality, in order to facilitate the strategic plans currently being drawn up by the ATP in conjunction with the private sector linked to the industry.
For the expert, Panama, with respect to other nations, has six differentiators in its favor: the Canal, its modern city, its privileged connectivity, unique biodiversity, size and accessibility, historical and cultural heritage and the fact of being a safe destination, with stable and dollarized economy.
He added that the updated plan has various objectives, ranging from the search for greater economic and social wealth through the development of national and international tourism based on sustainability, the strengthening of national, regional and local institutions, the increase in national and foreign investments, and the enhancement of the diversity of resources (natural and cultural), among others.
The updated PMTS explains that the country's positioning strategies are focused on the history of the emergence of the Panama isthmus from the depths of the ocean more than 3 million years ago, turning the place into a bridge of natural connection, linking two oceans with 3 thousand km of coastline; which offers tourists authentic experiences by having contact with its biodiversity, multicultural wealth, ancient traditions, its fascinating history, city with skyscrapers in the neotropics, with the largest navigable canal in the world; all this in a safe environment.
For the ATP administrator, Iván Eskildsen, all these tourist alternatives connected through the narrative can be projected at the level of competition as a unique and differentiating element of Panama, in a world where the great destinations are going to be competing aggressively. "We are betting on innovation, as well as the creation of tourism products with great power of differentiation and that appeal to the type of authentic experiences that tourists are increasingly looking for."
He stressed that everything will start from the vision that is being developed in the update of the PMTS, “we want to be a sustainable world-class tourist destination, thanks to the extraordinary wealth and diversity of our natural and cultural heritage, as well as the quality of our services. ”
The administrator added that the most important thing about the PMTS is that it cannot remain just a good plan, but that through the commitment of the ATP and all the members of the sector, a coordinated work is being sought in the execution of the plan for the coming years. , that allows us to face together the difficult challenges that the pandemic has imposed on us, and to emerge from this crisis strengthened as a tourist destination.