The Panamanian Hotel Association (Apatel) asked the National Government to announce a firm schedule with pre-established dates for the reopening of tourist operations and to re-establish the service of the Tocumen Airport on June 23.
The demands of the hotel sector in Panama derive from the closure of hotel operations, which has lead to temporary suspension of contracts of 35,000 employees (who live in an extremely difficult situation), resulting a complicated economic situation of repayment to suppliers and banks.
Through a statement, Apatel called on the government to emulate neighboring countries by announcing a clear and unambiguous roadmap for tourist reopening, including economic and labor measures.
According to the association, they have worked with the Panama Tourism Authority and other agencies since last March in working groups to set up for the reopening of the industry.
However, they regretted that so far the reaction to their efforts has been silence and inaction, causing deep confusion in the sector.
Panamanian Hotel Association has already started the rigorous sanitary protocols that will be applied to receive tourists in hotels when operations restart, but the authorities avoid facing the situation.
"In this regard, several airlines that make flights to Panama have already confirmed their interest in restarting operations in the national territory and are awaiting the date of the reopening of the Tocumen International Airport," the union statement said.
It should be noted that the roadmap places the tourism sector in Block 4, which includes hotels, restaurants and air transport.
Through a statement, Apatel called on the government to emulate neighboring countries by announcing a clear and unambiguous roadmap for tourist reopening, including economic and labor measures.
According to the association, they have worked with the Panama Tourism Authority and other agencies since last March in working groups to set up for the reopening of the industry.
However, they regretted that so far the reaction to their efforts has been silence and inaction, causing deep confusion in the sector.
Panamanian Hotel Association has already started the rigorous sanitary protocols that will be applied to receive tourists in hotels when operations restart, but the authorities avoid facing the situation.
"In this regard, several airlines that make flights to Panama have already confirmed their interest in restarting operations in the national territory and are awaiting the date of the reopening of the Tocumen International Airport," the union statement said.
It should be noted that the roadmap places the tourism sector in Block 4, which includes hotels, restaurants and air transport.