{"id":9997,"date":"2026-05-16T05:10:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T03:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/?p=9997"},"modified":"2026-05-16T05:23:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T03:23:54","slug":"gabriel-diez-montilla-tourism-transforms-culture-history-nature-gastronomy-adventure-and-leisure-into-economic-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/2026\/05\/16\/gabriel-diez-montilla-tourism-transforms-culture-history-nature-gastronomy-adventure-and-leisure-into-economic-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Gabriel Diez Montilla: “Tourism transforms culture, history, nature, gastronomy, adventure, and leisure into economic opportunities.”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the most important sectors for tourism development is construction, which, combined with the promotion of private entrepreneurship, can help elevate the tourist experience throughout the country. For this reason, our Special Guest in this edition is Gabriel Diez Montilla, a Panamanian with extensive experience in the business, legal, and financial sectors, and the current President of the National Council of Private Enterprise (CoNEP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a Bachelor of Science in Management specializing in Finance from Tulane University and a Doctor of Laws from Syracuse University, he has over 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur in manufacturing, real estate development, and electric power generation, standing out for his comprehensive approach to business and for being a consistent voice in the private sector promoting the country’s economic development. In this exclusive interview with The Visitor – El Visitante, he shares his vision of how construction and the generation of private entrepreneurship can generate greater tourism development in Panama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Construction accounts for approximately 16% of Panama’s Gross Domestic Product. How does this high percentage influence tourism projects and supports its development?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Construction drives the economy, generates direct and indirect jobs, and is a fundamental part of the type of tourism we can offer as a country. First, to develop hotels and related businesses, infrastructure is needed: roads, airports, docks and marinas, and public services. Each of these componentes are part of our tourism offering. An offering that must be supported by the quality of the experience and amenities. The larger, better, and more complete our offering, the more tourists from all budgets we can attract. Tourism doesn’t just compete on destinations; it also competes on experiences and services. When infrastructure and quality experience offerings work together, we can promote sustainable development, differentiate ourselves from the competition, respect the environment, and train our human talent to care for tourism and what makes it real. Panama has many opportunities to develop, and the construction sector is ready to contribute its part.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The interior of the country needs to double its number of hotel beds to accommodate more tourists. What can be done in terms of laws or incentives to help the construction industry achieve this without having to wait many years?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If we want the interior of the country to receive more tourists, we need to make investment more attractive and faster. We must propose a new tourism incentives law that considers key investment zones, the type of investment, as well as small, medium, and large investors. This requires three things: first, clear tax incentives for tourism projects outside the capital; second, more streamlined permitting and administrative processes; and third, access to competitive financing for small and medium-sized investors. It’s not just about large hotels. There’s a great opportunity in inns, boutique hotels, and sustainable projects that connect with the essence of each region. If we align incentives with this vision, growth can accelerate without having to wait years. Additionally, we must continue and increase efforts to promote demand, both local and international. We must have a national tourism policy; that is, one that transcends administrations with clear, achievable, and verifiable objectives to boost interest in the country. We can’t continue with new practices every five years. Continuity, when policies are working, is the key to success.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As president of CoNEP, what do you suggest to encourage the opening of new tourism ventures based on innovation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“More than just providing incentives for the sake of incentives, we need to create real conditions that make entrepreneurship worthwhile. This means training, access to financing, and fewer barriers to entry. It also means promoting training in tourism-related fields: better-prepared tour guides, authentic experiences, and ventures that connect with the local community. Tourism has a powerful quality: it transforms culture, history, nature, gastronomy, adventure, and leisure into economic opportunities. If we can get more Panamanians to believe in this and provide them with the tools to make it a reality, we will see much stronger and more sustainable growth. We must stop viewing tourism entrepreneurship as something isolated or informal and start treating it as a fundamental ecosystem of the tourism experience. From CoNEP’s perspective, the proposal operates on three levels that must advance simultaneously: Fewer barriers, greater speed: Reducing and\/or simplifying procedures and permits, as well as the time required to obtain them. We need a “digital one-stop shop” for tourism ventures that reduces processing times, unifies procedures, and provides clarity from the outset. If entrepreneurship is complicated, people simply won’t try it.” Formal. Informality limits growth capacity and increases the likelihood of failure. Financing that actually reaches businesses. Many good projects remain just ideas due to a lack of access to financing, especially for small entrepreneurs. We propose strengthening AMPYME’s assisted entrepreneurship programs and creating soft financing options. Not everyone needs millions to start, but they do need a real opportunity to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training connected to reality: It’s not enough to simply provide training; we must provide purposeful training. Practical programs in management, service, digital marketing, and experience development, directly connected to the market. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, language. Our people must be trained to speak and understand English at a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focusing on authenticity: Panama doesn’t compete by being generic. It competes by being authentic. We must encourage projects that preserve culture, gastronomy, traditions, and nature. This not only attracts tourists but also generates local pride and development in communities beyond the Canal’s banks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Productive linkages: A tourism venture shouldn’t grow in isolation. It must connect with local producers, artisans, guides, transportation providers, etc. When tourism is integrated with the local economy, the impact multiplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smart and digital promotion: Many ventures exist, but they are invisible. We need platforms and promotional strategies that make them visible, both locally and internationally, leveraging digital resources. This must reach tour operators and other stakeholders in the tourism value chain.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Malls are one of the biggest investments in the country. How can investment in these spaces be directed to house cultural venues with unique experiences from all over Panama?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Shopping malls in Panama are already meeting points. The next step is to also transform them into spaces that tell the story of who we are. A shopping mall is much more than just shopping. That means integrating culture, art, gastronomy, and local experiences within these spaces. Places where a tourist can get to know Panama without leaving the mall: from cultural exhibits to culinary experiences or interactive spaces. When we combine commerce with identity, we not only increase the time visitors spend there, but we also generate a real connection with the country. Shopping malls can be leveraged by PROMTUR with experience centers that promote tourist destinations and Panamanian culture. In this way, we can transform city tourists into travelers to explore the interior. At Altaplaza, we aim to offer an entertainment, gastronomy, and services component that allows visitors to unwind and find an engaging activity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which sectors in the interior of the country offer the greatest opportunities for business development that will boost the economy, as well as construction projects that generate added value?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I believe Panama has a lot to offer depending on what the tourist is looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bocas del Toro: beach tourism, nature, gastronomy, and unique leisure activities. There, we find the country’s connection to Afro-Caribbean culture. Boquete and Volcan (Highlands): cool climate, nature and ecotourism, hiking, adventure, and coffee. But Chiriqui has \u200b\u200beven more to offer with its archipelagos, fishing, and its proximity to Coiba Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Azuero (Pedasi, Playa Venao, and the towns of Azuero): beaches and folklore. The roots of our traditions. Pacific Riviera and El Valle de Anton: beaches, nature, and hiking. Close to Panama City with ample infrastructure and options for various budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panama City and Colon: urban centers, nature tourism, shopping, leisure, gastronomy, culture, and religious tourism. An experience not found in many places in the world, where everything can be done in a single day. Infrastructure and its reliability are key: public services that operate without interruption, roads in good condition, and dependable services.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the most important sectors for tourism development is construction, which, combined with the promotion of private entrepreneurship, can help elevate the tourist experience throughout the country. For this reason, our Special Guest in this edition is Gabriel Diez Montilla, a Panamanian with extensive experience in the business, legal, and financial sectors, and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10001,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9997"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9997"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10009,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9997\/revisions\/10009"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevisitorpanama.info\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}