Tourism Sector in Chiriquí Devastated by Heavy Rains: No Tourists and Massive Cancellations

During the first half of November, Panama has faced heavy rains that not only directly affected victims and agricultural products, but also negatively impacted tourism activity, especially in the most affected areas.  Javier Pinzón, a representative of the Chamber of Tourism in Boquete, said that the inclement weather caused numerous cancellations at accommodations, since most tourist activities, such as hiking and the coffee circuit, are carried out outdoors.  The high season for tourism in Chiriquí, which begins on November 1 and runs through April, has seen a 70% decrease in the first 18 days due to constant rains that have deterred tourists from visiting the region.

Pinzón said that tourism represents about 60% of Chiriquí’s economy, thanks to the numerous agrotourism farms that not only produce coffee and vegetables, but also offer accommodation and experiences to visitors. In Boquete, there are about 900 beds available for tourism, but the climate crisis has exacerbated the problems, adding to the road closures of 2022 and 2023, which have made it difficult to obtain reliable statistics on the performance of tourism activity in the last four years.