Q & A with Kathy de la Guardia, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Panamanian Tourism Institute (IPAT)
by Maria Caridad Gonzalez
The Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR) has turned out to be a major tradeshow for Panama’s private sector companies given the number of deals they cut with similar partners in both the Spanish and European markets. This is what the Marketing and Communications Manager for the IPAT had to say to Caribbean News Digital.
Q.- What were the perspectives brought in by Panama to this year’s FITUR?
A.- It’s no coincidence that FITUR marks the kickoff of all major tourism and travel fairs around the world each year and, as a matter of fact, FITUR is one of the tradeshows in which Panama’s private sector has an amazing turnout. At the end of the day, IPAT continues to act as a facilitator for private companies that come to Spain to close deals with their peers here. Our indicators show that FITUR is by and large one of two fairs worldwide where Panamanian companies do businesses and close deals with Spanish and European counterparts.
Q.- How did the Panamanian travel industry close last year?
A.- Even though we don’t count on official stats right now, I must say off the record that Panama grew a hefty 14 percent in 2006. That’s a pretty good result that keeps us very happy. We hope this year is going to be as good as 2006 was.
Q.- What’s Panama’s number-one market in Europe right now?
A.- Our top European markets are Spain and Italy, two nations with great craving for our products. In the Americas, the U.S. is the number-one market.
Q.- What tourist niches is Panama exposing in its state-run advertisement campaigns?
A.- As we speak, we’re involved in the layout of our new promotional blitz. The one we put on last year was a well-defined campaign aimed at bringing in MICE opportunity from all around Latin America, featuring beaches and other major tourist products like birdwatching and golf. Panama has been strengthening its stance as a world-class golf destination and in the course of the next twelve months we’re going to count on nine new golf courses all across the country.
Q.- What are Panama’s plans for 2007 in the face of such major outcomes last year?
A.- In terms of tourism, we want to grow as much as 10 percent, though we’re zeroing in on upscale tourism this time around. We don’t want quantitative increases, but a qualitative jump.
Q.- Is there any special message you want to put across to the readers of Caribbean News Digital?
A.- I want to thank you all for this opportunity and I’d like to invite all readers to come to Panama, to know this country because as Panama’s Tourism Minister Ruben Blades says, “smiles are for free.” So, we’re inviting you all to come to Panama.
