Panama receives more Colombian tourists

The general administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Iván Eskildsen, together with directors of private sector unions, received groups of tourists from Colombia. 

“The arrival of this group of tourists is the result of a cooperation agreement with the wholesale agency OnVacation, one of the main companies issuing tourists in Colombia, with which we are promoting the reactivation of the sector with great energy,” assured the minister. of the ATP. 

Administrator Eskildsen established, together with the presidents of more than 10 private sector associations, a Tourism Demand Reactivation Commission, focused on accelerating the arrival of tourists in the short and medium term, through specific initiatives that are developed together with the private sector.

One of the initiatives that was brought by the private sector was the agreement with the wholesaler OnVacation, through which 6,000 tourists from the Colombian market will arrive, a proposal that was recently approved by PROMTUR, the entity responsible for attracting international visitors.

On behalf of the private sector, Maru Gálvez, director of the Panamanian Association of Hotels (APATEL) said: "We are very pleased that the strategies that the private sector has presented to the Tourist Demand Reactivation Commission are already yielding results, especially in strategic markets such as Colombia, which has always been a natural market for tourists”.

The four-night OnVacation tour packages include: tickets, hotel, transportation and tours to destinations within the various attractions in Panama City, shopping tourism, Panama Canal and visits to the beaches of the Pacific Riviera, priority destinations of the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism, currently executed by the ATP. 

Recently, Eskildsen carried out visits to more companies in the Colombian market, together with the president of the Association. Panamanian Tour Operators (APOTUR), Alexis Zapata, with the same interest in promoting the arrival of tourists from this important market. Additionally, based on what was agreed upon by the Reactivation Commission, a tourist promotion caravan is scheduled in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín and Cali for the month of July, as well as initiatives to attract visitors for Black Week, in the month of September.

Likewise, Eskildsen has led visits to major tour operators in the United States market, including the closing with the small cruise company Atlas, which will start base port operations in Panama this year.

Currently, he is on an official mission in the State of Colorado, where important agreements are planned to continue promoting the arrival of visitors from the US market, which is the main source market according to the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism.