Outdoor tourism and social distancing Recreational activities that can be carried out with social distancing such as: ecotourism, agrotourism, nature, sun and beach are, among others, the main attractions that the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) is focusing on, to promote post-internal tourism Covid-19. This was announced by the general administrator of the ATP, Iván Eskildsen, who explained that the aforementioned activities take place in open spaces, which is what the national and foreign tourist residing in our country will look for, to avoid crowds, when Health authorities allow travel to different parts of the country.
He highlighted that in working groups with his collaborators and members of the tourism chambers of the interior of the country, the strategies for the promotion of internal tourism have been discussed. On the same subject, Eskildsen pointed out that the Marketing Department of the institution he runs, which recently achieved recognition for the # LaTierraQueNosEligió campaign, by placing itself among the “13 Bright Campaigns” on the Lifestyle Travel portal, is working on new promotional pieces to encourage the national tourist to get back in touch with nature, the beaches and feel the pure country air.
“We are working on a very important profile, which is that conscious tourist who, in addition to liking open and green areas, is interested in protecting them, because he wants to make a difference, in this way the economic impact would benefit the communities he visits,” he stressed. He assured that the characteristics of this type of traveler are included in the update of the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan (PMTS), in which a short-term strategy (18 months) is being developed after the pandemic and another for the next 5 years. He reiterated that domestic tourism is the first element in which Panama is going to focus to reactivate the economy in the sector, just like other countries are doing, because international transfers will take time.
At this point, he stressed that according to some surveys, when the conditions for moving between countries are met, travelers will take shorter flights, so it is expected that the first international tourists arriving in the country will come from Costa Rica and Colombia and, subsequently , from the United States, with a larger universe of tourists, but severely affected by the pandemic. He indicated that the European tourist is not ruled out, “but we consider that in the short term they will be less willing to make long trips; however, we will also be in communication with the airlines that have direct flights to Europe and with the International Tourism Promotion Fund ( PROMTUR), to attract that market. “
