Q & A with Jennifer Champsaur, Deputy Administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority

The message I want to deliver is that Panama is not an airlift country, it’s a country where you can stay, enjoy and get to know it from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean”, Jennifer Champsaur said during an exclusive interview given to CND within the framework of WTM, where Panama went from a corporate decoration in its stand to a different style that shows what the country actually is, its Historic Core, Old Panama, the city, its beaches, nature and part of its culture with the presence of diablicos sucios.

What are Panama’s advertising plans for 2016 and what are Panama’s expectations by attending this kind of international fairs?

Visit Panama website is being re-launched and we’ve had an active presence in the main fairs of the European market, since we have a significant number of flights. Panama is famous because of its airlift and hotel infrastructure, but Panama has a lot more to offer and I think that people are realizing that it’s a country with great diversification of products in terms of wildlife, entertainment centers, business centers, beaches both in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. The inauguration of the extended canal in 2016 is undoubtedly going to be a historic moment. People are saying “Panama is in fashion”.

How important is the British market to Panama and how has it grown this year?

The figures have gone up, but Spain still stands out as the main source of visitors coming from Europe. Iberia was the first European airline with presence in Panama. We have had many years of work and promotion. But it’s definitively important. Lufthansa will enter in March and I think that this area of Europe is going to benefit from this development. We have KLM, Air France, TAP Portugal, and in February will have the longest flight of the world: 17 hours from Dubai to Panama with Flyer Emirates. Air Europa will also come in December with charter flights.

We’ve spent weeks out of Panama working on the Congress and Conventions segment, as well as the Luxury one, because we have to complement both sides. Nowadays, the destination has great airlift and this fact opens lots of doors for the European market.

Do you think that such charter as Air Europa’s is going to favor hotel occupancy?

Definitively yes. We have excellent airlift with the whole American continent; nevertheless, with the charter we’re going to have all those passengers visiting the country and, why not, we could do a multi-destination, which is what I believe European tourists are looking for, just as we do when we come to Europe.

What are the markets where you believe you can strengthen the multi-destination product, not only within the Central American region, but throughout Latin America?

There are several strong countries and you see their presence in fairs, with their products. Peru is a good example. Visiting Machu Picchu is something you have to do some day. Colombia is presently doing great. There are many examples. Each Latin American country has its charm.

The airlift we have in Central America is very good, and the countries in the region are not that far from each other. Why shouldn’t I enjoy five days in Panama and then go to Roatan for two days? Costa Rica is waiting for those who like diving and nature. Panama has a little bit of everything, but we do understand that people like visiting two or three countries when they take such a long trip.

The message I want to deliver is that Panama is not an airlift country, it’s a country where you can stay, enjoy and get to know it from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. The country features different cultures, ethnic groups and indigenous communities. Our stand no longer has that corporate image, but it speaks of what Panama actually is: Old Panama, the Historic Core, the city everybody knows, beaches both in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the diablicos  sucios that have caught everybody’s eyes, and with the expansion of the Canal we’ll have cool things for our stand in FITUR.

Gastronomy is going to be an important advertising element. With the opening of the Golden Tower, Panama now has another Michelin-star restaurant.

As a result of the diversity of cultures, Panama has always had an assortment of gastronomic offers. Our restaurants serve excellent Chinese, Indian, American, Peruvian and Mexican dishes. People from different countries and races have come to Panama since the colonial age, it has always been a hub. So, we’ve kept a piece of each culture and that fact attracts visitors.

Could we say that there is an expansion within the country with AM Resorts having its own marina?

This improves the international image. For instance, we have cruise ports in the Caribbean Sea and we’re assessing the possibility to have one in the Pacific Ocean. We’d have more cruises setting sail in Panama instead of going through the Canal and that would definitively help us. Just as we come to Europe in order to take a cruise from Barcelona, European tourists will go to Panama, where they find airlift and ships with routes to the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean.

Panama is obviously a member of CATA agency. How does CATA actually support the promotion of destinations? You’re pioneers in this system. You started when you were little and now each of you has individually enhanced its horizons, but you’re still together.

Both ministers and deputy ministers of the region have been working together over the past months, assessing our options.

CATA has not been easy. We have had to start crawling and do our best to keep this project up to date, along with the rest of the changes. We used to sell the region of Latin America and the United States and now, with all of this opening and five flights from Europe to five different cities, the idea is to sell a multi-destination throughout the region. That’s CATA’s idea. Travelers have the opportunity to visit the entire Central American region, instead of only one country. I believe that they’re doing a great job, it’s quite and effort and each country is to back up the initiative.

Will you still foster shopping tourism in Panama? 

Yes, of course. The shopping segment is one of our five pillars, depending on the market. I think that European tourists rather come to see nature, enjoy our beaches and rest. Latin American visitors come to go shopping. It all depends on the market. We have five pillars to focus on.

What has the opening of such outstanding museum as the Biomuseum meant to Panama? Has it also changed the traveler’s conceptualization?

I think that it’s a new product. People were asking for a city-level product. We have a lot of business tourism, we have a rock-solid banking center, several multinational companies based in Panama and the question was: what else has Panama City to offer? It’s a small country, but a small country with lots of products. People want to come to work in the morning and do something in the afternoon.

The museum of Biodiversity is the first one designed by Frank Gehry in Latin America. It’s actually impressive when you see it from an airplane. You have 8 million tourists visiting the airport and 90 percent of them see the museum from the airplane. They wonder what that amazing building is and when they visit it and understand it, they are far more impressed because they learn the history of Panama’s origin. 

The new convention center will also attract the MICE segment.

We’re planning to have it ready by 2018. We thought it could open in 2017, but I think that Amador’s Convention Center will be inaugurated in 2018, next to Figaly. That area is being developed, with a view of the Pacific side of the Canal.

We already have a convention center, ATLAPA, where the Americas Summit was held. We’ll have a second one so as to meet our hotel offer: over 20,000 rooms in Panama City and we keep on growing. The Sho Mall was opened, a Ritz Carlton is next. We’re growing in terms of shopping centers, convention centers and hotel rooms, both in urban and rural areas. Over 3 thousand rooms are available at Playa Blanca, on the Pacific side, an hour and half away from the city. 

I believe that we’re doing great, we’re on the right track. It’s a small country, but there is a lot to offer.

Is the service provided to tourists a pending matter in Panama because of the exponential growth in such a short time?

We’re working to improve the quality of services, by means of training and education. I believe that this element, combined with the safety in the country and its allures can attract more tourists to our destination.