More than 20 years of professional career in the tourism sector, an entrepreneur and tourism operator, Ernesto “Tito” Orillac, has what it takes to be elected president of the Panama Tourism Chamber (CAMTUR) 2020 – 2022.
Among his contributions is the creation of tour operator companies, retail travel agencies and wholesalers. He served as president of the Panamanian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVIT), has been a member of the Board of Directors at the Congresses and Conventions Association, between 2009 – 2014 served as Deputy Minister of Panama Tourism Authority. In the private sector, he has been working as General Director of Margo tours and Lufthansa City Center Modern Travel Group.
Our special guest talked about his main task: work with the main actors in the private sector and government, to carry out the guidelines of tourism in the coming years.
What are the first projects to work as soon as you take office as president of CAMTUR?
“The main objective is to unify the industry, in order to work under the same line and structure. Other of our objectives is to bring the Panamanian Hotel Association (APATEL) back to CAMTUR and carry out the chamber’s projects. Every year we organize the National Tourism Convention (CONATUR) and the International Tourism Expo, and we want to strengthen both events by adding an international fair, turning a two days event into a five-days. We also want for the Panama brand to cover all sectors that make up society and the country, and have them understand that tourism must be a State policy. Not only because of what it represents as income in the industry, but because tourism can improve the quality of life of each Panamanian. ”
How tourism will be improved in Panama and internationally?
“We need to create campaigns that are accessible for Panamanians, in order to have them invest in local tourism products. That way, they can understand what we have as a country and will want to take care of it and promote it. We need to improve our infrastructure, an example is the project in which we are collaborating with the ATP in order for destinations such as Taboga, Santa Catalina, Bocas del Toro, Volcan, Pedasi and Boquete receive direct investment from the IDB for the integral development of each one. Connectivity is on the works, in both air and land, so that it can be packaged during special seasons very soon. We have to improve the quality of the information we have, do surveys to find out where tourists come from, why they stay or why they return”.
What do you think is Panama’s positioning in tourism internationally?
“Panama has advantages that no other countries have, it is a Hub, a country where you can develop connectivity and multi-products. We have one of the greatest assets in the world: the Panama Canal, which is also sustainable. We must understand connectivity, not as a destination to arrive, connect and leave. But for people to come and connect with Panamanians. We have one of the largest living cultures in the American continent and the connectivity to go from one ocean to another in a short period of time. Our country is the center where everything happens. But we must first understand it, so that those outside can also understand it”.
How will you support tour operators?
“You have to organize the industry, supervise it, create new products and get people to join the guild. In CAMTUR we go for best practices. We want to seek quality certification and improve our services. We must also obtain feedback through surveys, where we can know how the visitor feels and what kind of service we are giving them. We will turn our attention to more directives and events inside, to be able to connect local suppliers with those from different different provinces, so that this message can reach the authors who make decisions such as the Tourism Promotion Fund, Panama Tourism Authority and the country in general. “