Tourism Authority hands over convention center administration

After a 3-year wait, the American company SMG Latin America received from the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) , the administration of the Panama Convention Center, located in Amador.

The company was selected at the beginning of 2018 to operate and market the building with a capacity of 24,000 people, but construction delays its inception in 2012, delayed the entry of SMG.

The company signed a six-year contract, with a renewal option for an additional five years. For the first six years, SMG will receive $2.1 million, but will also receive commissions from the sale of food and beverages.

The PCC was built on a 10-hectare lot located behind the Figali convention center. It has 1,715 outdoor parking spaces, 200 that are under roof and 18 exclusive spaces for buses.

The exhibition area is 15 thousand square meters. This area can be divided into three sections of approximately 5,000 square meters, each with its own separate systems. The exhibition area in the new convention center is equivalent to the total footprint of Atlapa.

At the end of September, the new congress hall will host the final date of the National Tourism Convention organized by the Panama Chamber of Tourism, and in November it will be home to the congress of the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), an event that will bring together 5,000 executives from the industry seeking to get back on track after the debacle caused by the coronavirus.

Both events are expected to give the Panama hotel industry a much-needed fillip.