Only  four percent of hotels have reopened

Only 40  (4%)of Panama’s  962  hotels opened on Monday  October 12 after seven months of closure due to the pandemic and the hotel sector estimates that the occupancy in the first months of operation will not reach 10%.

Armando Rodríguez, president of the Panama Hotel  Association of Hotels, commented that in addition to struggling with a low demand, due to people’s fear of getting on a plane, they also face pressure from energy distribution companies that demand payment of overdue. bills. and must also pay bank financings that, to date, exceed $700 million. Hoteliers have $352 million in modified loans, to be repaid when the moratorium expires.

.Rodríguez said  that they have met twice with the National Public Services Authority (ASEP ) so that the hotels are included in the moratorium for  payment of electricity bills.