Hoteliers reject restrictions on S.American arrivals 

The Panama Hotel Association (Apatel) has rejected the restrictive measures adopted by the Government after detecting in the national territory the first case of the Brazilian variant of Covid-19

In the opinion of the union, the survival of the industry, the economic recovery, and  exposing the country to greater isolation is at stake.

On March 27, the Government revealed that it prohibited the entry of travelers from South America, allowing only Panamanians and resident foreigners to arrive from this region.

Then, through an Executive  Decree, it was specified that any person, who has traveled from or transited through South America by air, land or sea, using commercial or private means must present a negative test for the PCR virus or antigen administered 48 hours before arrival.

The rule,  came into effect on Wednesday, March 31 at 12:00 am, orders that in addition to the negative result presented when the traveler from South American lands, a PCR or antigen test must also be carried out, prior to the registry in Migration.

If the test result is negative, the person must serve five days of isolation, which in the opinion of those who participate in the industry will cause cancellations of flights and scheduled reservations, because no one who is not sick is willing to remain isolated in a country they visit.

The Association described the measure as unconsulted and improvised, which “adds to other mistakes to put the national tourist infrastructure on the brink of its disappearance. “The damage caused to the entire country has been immediate and cannot be overestimated.”

The hotels warn that the closure of Panama to visitors from third countries who are alien to the Brazilian variant would mean a new blow to the more than 100,000 Panamanians who hope to return to their jobs.

“It also implies continuing to affect national food producers, who generated more than $80 million each year in sales to hotels. Furthermore, it exposes Panama to third countries taking reciprocal measures, deepening its self-inflicted isolation ”.

In this sense, Apatel requires the government to nullify the generalized measures and replace them with effective methods focused on Brazil.

It asked that the role assigned to the Ministry of Health be rethought, considering that it has become the director of the national economy when making commercial decisions when it should be an advisor to the President of the Republic in health matters.

“Its destructive role as the ultimate director of economic survival issues must cease,” the union emphasized.

On this issue, they asked to designate the Ministry of Commerce of Industries to lead the national economic reconstruction process together with the President, including the safe reopening of the different economic sectors.

Before the entry of travelers from South America to Panama was restricted, the airline and tourism industry, sectors that before the pandemic contributed together 11% to the gross domestic product, predicted that the recovery will be slow based on the results of these activities in the first two months of the year.

In February, passenger traffic through the Tocumen International Airport totaled 376,182 people, 71% lower than the same period in 2020.