Panama Forum

panamajames
Joined 2012
Posts: 5096

8 years ago

Too many Hotels and too few tourists in Panama

8 years ago

In the field everyone recognizes that hotel occupancy is at one of its lowest points. Also, further initiatives and efforts to attract more tourists to the country, to reverse the trend, are required.

The official figures are compelling. In the period accumulated from January to July 2015, hotel occupancy stood at only 53.9% and in the specific case of July this year, at just 50.3%.

The figure is well below that of previous years. According to data from the Comptroller General, from January to July 2011 the hotel occupancy reached 67.5%. In the same period, in 2012, it stood at 59.5% in 2013 to 58.6% and 56.7% in 2014.

There is an oversupply in the market, say connoisseurs. The offer of rooms in hotels has grown more than tourists.

'Clearly the hotel unemployment in the country has increased, but we must also take into consideration that the hotel product has grown over the past two years or three years. We've doubled or tripled our hotel offers 'said Annette Cardenas, president of the Organizing Committee of the Expo Tourism Fair.

Cardenas admitted that "it is very difficult for hotel occupancy to grow at the same rate of growth in hotel demand; and we are doing all these efforts (Expo Tourism) to promote the country as a tourist destination and have more people interested in coming to Panama, so we can fill the hotel demand that we currently have. "

Aimed at the north, according to Cardenas' they are working with the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) seeking new initiatives, with clear messages that are sent internationally; and, I think we are getting all the support we can get, just that it will take some time, ' she said.

According to Gustavo Him, administrator of the ATP, 'the number of visitors has increased by 17.3% over last year. 'We're talking about 250,000 more visitors than last year and if you follow the course that we have to the end of this year we will have 2 million 500 thousand visitors, "which will be of great benefit to the hotel industry.

'It is true that we have too many hotels, but I think that instead of seeing it as a problem, it is a benefit for our country, because that means we have on offer, a hotel structure that no other countries have. So I see it (the hotel oversupply) as a positive thing, "said Him.

To increase tourism, Cardenas said she is currently promoting the country in fairs like Expo Tourism, Medical Expo, Panama, destination shopping and ATP is working with promoting more than 500 travel agents Cup, across all their routes, so every week until October to know Panama. 'There are 17 countries involved in promoting Panama. This means they are feeling that our destiny has something worthwhile. But it will be in the hands of every entrepreneur ' said Cardenas.

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