tourism

Panama looks to Europe for visitors

David Mesa/la prensa

Euro-friendly:Panama’s tourism agency has started a campaign to attract European tourists to the country because, in part, of the economic slowdown in the United States.987312

Panamanian tourism officials do not think that a recession in the United States would have a big impact on businesses here.

The U.S. economy is believed to be heading for slowdown, but local officials think that any drop in visitors from that country could be offset by more visitors coming here from Europe.

Carl-Fredrik Nordström, deputy manager of the Instituto Panameño de Turismo (Ipat), said that his agency has started promotional campaigns in five European cities aimed at raising Panama’s profile among travelers.

"The recession in the United States may not affect us, but we have started a campaign so that Europeans get to know us and know what we have to offer," Nordström said.

Panama received about 80,000 European visitors in 2007, a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

There are more flights between Panama and Europe coming on line, with KLM-Air France beginning flights between Panama and Amsterdam in March. Air Caraïbes started offering service to France via Guadaloupe in January.

Ministro de Turismo Rubén Blades said a country such as Costa Rica would be far more impacted by a U.S. recession because the bulk of its visitors are American, whereas Panama receives a wider range of tourists, including many from South America.

Figures from Ipat indicate that 1.3 million visitors entered the country last year, a 17 percent increase from 2006.