As the days go by, the footprint that the respiratory pandemic of the coronavirus (Covid-19) will leave in Panamanian tourism, grows deeper.
The hotel sector alone, which prior to Covid-19 was in the red, is now reporting a loss of approximately $40 million monthly.
In the Panama there are just over 30,000 hotel rooms, and of that 20,000 are in the capital city, where the lodging establishments that were operating before the pandemic only had 38% of the rooms occupied.
Armando Rodríguez, president of the Panamanian Hotel Association (Apatel), commented that as of today 40,000 labor contracts are suspended, representing a significant loss of income for the economy. This is without taking into account the 100 million dollars a year that the hotel sector allocates on average to the purchase of supplies.
Rodríguez, together with the main tourist unions in the country, asked the Government to set the roadmap that tourism must follow once the opening of block 4 is approved, where it is included along with commercial aviation.
Tourism companies cannot think of an opening if we do not know what to do, said the president of Apatel.
Ernesto Orillac, president of the Panama Chamber of Tourism, indicated that the sector is aware that the opening has to be gradual, but indicates that without concrete plans, the outlook is more uncertain.
He warns that Panama may lose its competitive advantage as a hub for air connections, if the government does not provide protocols to open airports.
In the Panama there are just over 30,000 hotel rooms, and of that 20,000 are in the capital city, where the lodging establishments that were operating before the pandemic only had 38% of the rooms occupied.
Armando Rodríguez, president of the Panamanian Hotel Association (Apatel), commented that as of today 40,000 labor contracts are suspended, representing a significant loss of income for the economy. This is without taking into account the 100 million dollars a year that the hotel sector allocates on average to the purchase of supplies.
Rodríguez, together with the main tourist unions in the country, asked the Government to set the roadmap that tourism must follow once the opening of block 4 is approved, where it is included along with commercial aviation.
Tourism companies cannot think of an opening if we do not know what to do, said the president of Apatel.
Ernesto Orillac, president of the Panama Chamber of Tourism, indicated that the sector is aware that the opening has to be gradual, but indicates that without concrete plans, the outlook is more uncertain.
He warns that Panama may lose its competitive advantage as a hub for air connections, if the government does not provide protocols to open airports.