Tourism Authority awaiting $100 million development fund

The  Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) is awaiting the disbursement of $100 million financing with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) managed by the previous administration, to move forward with the plans to develop  tourism infrastructure

The resources would be directed to projects related to new tourism products such as ecotourism, green tourism, nautical tourism and others in destinations such as Bocas del Toro, Boquete, and Pedasí.

Of the $100 million, $60 million will go to infrastructure and urban management improvements; $30 million to equipment, local tourism management, and community development and $10 million to strengthen the ATP.

Irene Ortiz, ATP Director of Planning detailed in the framework of the installation of the first six consultative tables of the Tourist Cabinet that of the 26 destinations identified in the master plan, some priorities were selected where the financing resources will be executed of the IDB to improve infrastructure. “We are planning and organizing the activities, we want to have pilots with priority destinations that can be replicated in other areas,” Ortiz said, indicating that the rest of the destinations will work with the Tourist Cabinet.

For example, Bocas del Toro, which has  a critical situation due to deficiencies in the management of solid waste, the provision of drinking water and wastewater, which affects the experience of visitors “We seek not only to prepare destinations for tourists but for the local population,” she said,

ATP deputy administrator, Denise Guillén, said that tourism development must be consolidated with a joint effort between the public and private sectors to find solutions to the challenges.

He said that the private sector is the one that invests in the hotel tourism plant, in the support services to this sector and it is the one that allows farmers, ranchers, artisans, and indigenous communities to participate in the development of their businesses and not t have to migrate to the cities

Guillén said that in addition to the improvement in the infrastructure, of the tourist corridors, the need for even local and foreign tourist health care should also be analyzed. in case of any mishap. Therefore, he added, solutions must be offered in this regard and have these services not only during the week but on weekends in tourist areas.

The six tables of the Tourist Cabinet that were installed will analyze topics such as energy, solid waste management, support infrastructure and nautical tourism, the latter also works on topics such as sport fishing and tour operators for yachts and marinas.

The conclusions of each of the tables will be presented in the Tourist Cabinet scheduled for this Friday, August 2, in the district of Boquete, Chiriquí.