Cecilia Perez ValladaresExecutive Director of Panama´s Convention and Tourism Bureau

In an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital, Mrs. Valladares talked about her country´s prospects as a travel destination and the work she does at her office.

CND: Panama is conducting major efforts to open up to markets other than the U.S. What projects do you have in mind to work together with the private sector in pursuing the European market and what countries are you interested in the most?

CPV: Traditionally, Panama´s major outbound markets have always been the U.S., Canada and the region itself, even though we´ve always worked on the European market, especially in Italy. We´re now seeing a stronger, more unified and more organized private sector that´s actually determined to make the European market work. They´re pouring lump sums of money into a promotional campaign that kicked off in February. They´re also determined to attend some of the world´s premier travel fairs, go to Germany, to Italy, to Spain, especially now that we count on nonstop flights operated by Iberia and Air Madrid. And we know they´re going to work because we´re seeing an increasingly bigger interest among European tourists in traveling to Panama. As to the European countries we´re interested in the most, well, Spain, Italy, France and Germany are the top four.

CND: What has the opening of the CATA Office in Spain really meant?

CPV: To all Central America, the CATA Office means a very important promotional and publicity office. We were promoting our destinations individually, but now with the help of CATA we are in a position to advertise the whole region as one solid product, as a huge multi-destination choice. By the way, CATA is giving great support in getting new contacts.

CND: How do you like Panama to be labeled, as a travel destination, a congress and incentive option, a great choice for family travel, the right spot for adventure tourism?

CPV: That´s a hard thing to do because Panama has a bit of everything. We´re usually looked at as a beach destination because the country has shores on two different oceans. However, what actually makes a difference in Panama is how travelers feel strongly about discovering something once they´re there, when they scour our rainy forests, our five historic monuments that have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO, our seven indigenous cultures and our world-class, state-of-the-art hotel infrastructure, let alone the possibilities we offer them to plan incentive travels and congresses. And last but not least, our varied and rich cuisine, and the Canal Zone, of course.

CND: What does shopping account for in Panama right now?

CPV: As you know, Panama is a huge top-class commercial center. Its streets are jam-packed with enormous stores and high-tech shopping malls anyone may get to in a fast and safe fashion. In addition, the presence of over a hundred banks makes us one of the world´s top financial hubs. We´re definitively a shopping binge paradise, especially at the Colon Free Trade Zone.

CND: What about your office? How different is your office to its state-run counterpart and how do you support each other in promoting Panama?

CPV: The Convention & Tourism Bureau is a non-lucrative organization made up of 64 members from the private sector that deals with the international exposure of Panama as a travel destination, chiefly in terms of congress, conventions and incentives. We work hand in hand with the public sector that, as a matter of fact, helps us with monetary expenditures the private sector can´t take. The public sector sends wholesalers to us and pitches us a helping hand when it comes to attending international fairs. The government is aware the private sector is the one that really knows the ropes in the realm of tourism, so that´s why it´s throwing its full supports behind private sector every step of the way.