Panama will hold the "Black Weekend" in September to promote shopping tourism

With the motto: "Panama your best shopping destination" the Panama Black Weekend (PBW) will be held from September 14 to 18, in the capital city and the interior of the country

In this important commercial activity, sponsored by the National Chamber of Tourism of Panama (CAMTUR), the Panamanian Association of Shopping Centers (APACECOM) and the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), more than a thousand stores from 16 shopping centers will participate, with discounts up to 70%.

An economic benefit of $90 million is expected for this sixth version of the PBW,

According to the president of APACECOM, Nadkyi Duque, the PBW has been a successful product and has boosted the country's economy. “There is a lot of expectation with this event, because international promotion is being incorporated, which previously could not be done due to the global respiratory pandemic and we have resumed it as part of the proposals of the Tourist Demand and Reactivation Commission,” she said.

He explained that September has been established as the month of the PBW because it is the historically lowest season for sales in shopping malls. He added that tourism operators, public transport, car rental companies, restaurants, among others, also participate in this strategy, because it is an activity that permeates the entire value chain of the industry without a chimney.

The PBW was strongly promoted during the Tourism Promotion Caravan that toured the cities of Bogotá, Cali and Medellín from July 26 to 28, with the participation of 15 Panamanian companies, including tour operators, hoteliers, CAMTUR, ATP and APACECOM.

According to the president of APACECOM, Colombians are one of the buying visitors who most frequent shopping centers in Panama. She reported that during the caravan in Colombia there was a rapprochement with more than 200 tour operators, who showed great interest in promoting the PBW and the Panamanian tourism product of sun, beach and nature.

From 10:00 in the morning the stores in the malls will offer discounts of up to 70% on their products and the arrival of traveler-buyers from Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador is expected, who see Panama as an interesting market to buy appliances, jewelry, clothing, shoes and sports accessories, at bargain prices

For the PBW, alliances have been made with airlines, hotels, tour operators, carriers and travel agencies so that wholesalers can sell an all-inclusive package to final buyers and offer them other tourist products within the country and that they have the best offer so that they consider Panama as the best shopping option over other destinations.

The PBW directly impacts the economy, attracts the arrival of tourists and positions Panama as a shopping destination. This is an opportunity to promote internal tourism, due to the traffic generated by the PBW in shopping centers, assured Duque, at the same time he indicated that the country has a great infrastructure of shopping centers, of shops and is one of the countries of the region with the largest number of brands, “we have it all: quality, brand and prices.

Among the shopping centers that will participate in this great promotion of offers and discounts are: Albrook Mall, Town Center, Soho Mall, Tower Center, Atrio Costa del Este, Westland Premium Outlets, Los Andes Mall, Alta Plaza Mall, Megamall, Balboa Boutique, Los Pueblos Shopping Center, Anclas Mall & Plaza, Atrio Mall, Paseo Central (Chitré), Chiriquí Mall and Santiago Mall.