Posts Tagged :

Panama

UNWTO & Tourism Authority Panama Promote Innovation Through Community Tourism

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UNWTO & Tourism Authority Panama Promote Innovation Through Community Tourism - TRAVELINDEXPanama City, Panama, November 3, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) have launched the Innovative Community Tourism Experiences Competition to promote innovation through alliances between tour operators and community tourism providers.

With the presence of 30 community leaders, with their colorful traditional outfits that represent the cultural diversity of the different indigenous, Afro and mestizo peoples of Panama, the UNWTO and the ATP shared with the media the official details of the competition.

The Competition will promote innovative and disruptive tourism experiences that encourage the conservation and regeneration of the natural and cultural heritage of Panama and the empowerment of local communities. The categories of the contest will reflect the five Heritage Routes of Panama established in the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan 2020-2025: (1) Bridge of the World Route, (2) Crucible of Cultures Route, (3) Forests of Life Route, (4) Birds in Paradise, (5) Wonders of the Ocean.

During the pandemic, technology and the growing sense of responsibility have created a need to develop new transformative products that are more inclusive and sustainable

Applications to participate will be open until 15 March 2023. The grand winner of the contest will receive: (a) a prize of US$25,000 in infrastructure for the community of the winning experience, (b) a spot to exhibit the experience at the Adventure Travel World Summit 2023 in Japan. The five finalist experiences will receive: (a) a course from the UNWTO Tourism Online Academy, (b) inclusion in the UNWTO Innovation Network, with global visibility through UNWTO social media channels, (c) seed capital of US$2,000 each for the communities, (d) a spot for each of the 5 finalists in Adventure Next Latin America 2023 to market their experiences.

UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “During the pandemic, technology and the growing sense of responsibility have created a need to develop new transformative products that are more inclusive and sustainable, and with this competition we are promoting an effort in this direction.”

The Minister of Tourism of Panama, Iván Eskildsen, highlighted: “Our Sustainable Tourism Master Plan establishes that, in order to achieve true sustainability, local communities must be at the centre of the tourism phenomenon. We value the support of the UNWTO and its commitment to the transformation of our industry.”

As of July 2022, Panama has exceeded the figure of 1 million visitors, more than triple the visitor arrivals in 2021. With this competition being launched together with the UNWTO, Panama seeks not only to get back to the pre-pandemic levels of visitors (it is estimated that the monthly volume will be recovered before the end of the year), but above all to transform the country through tourism, improving the quality of life of local communities, while conserving and regenerating its natural and cultural treasures.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Worlds First Aerial Beach at Panama’s Bocas Bali Luxury Resort

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Worlds First Aerial Beach at Panama's Bocas Bali Luxury Resort - TOP25ISLANDS.com - TRAVELINDEXFrangipani Island, Bocas Del Toro, Panama, April 21, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Within sight of spirited Bocas Town in Bocas Del Toro, Panama, lies an extraordinary Balinese inspired over-the-water getaway, Bocas Bali, which rivals the most breathtaking resorts in the world. Our resort’s charismatic host Scott Dinsmore ensures a warm, unforgettable experience for our guests, who enjoy our rare blend of informal spontaneity in an elegant Caribbean setting.

Bocas Bali elevates your beach experience, and they mean that literally. At the luxury resort there was just one thing missing, a beach. Now, the resort, which opened its doors in September 2021, announced the completion of its overwater beach. Bocas Bali, an adults-only resort has just revealed what its owner refers to as the “world’s first aerial beach.” Named Kupu-Kupu, borrowed from the Indonesian word for butterfly, the beach is approximately 90 feet long and 20 feet wide. Built on pilings over the water, it features white sand, palm trees, lounge chairs and a bar. A 10-foot-wide wooden boardwalk connects it to the island.

Set on Panama’s Frangipani Island, its 16 stilted overwater villas were crafted in Bali then shipped to Panama. Some come with private pools, others have a glass floor inlay, allowing guests to view the sea life below. A series of bamboo treehouses are now under development and due to open this year.

Guests enjoy 1,100 square feet of spectacular alfresco living, resting on stilts over the Caribbean Sea. In addition to a private pool and terrace, each villa features a king bed with sumptuous linens and an elegant hand-carved soapstone mural. In traditional Balinese style, artists dedicated over 1,000 hours to carving each villa’s teak wood furnishings.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Transformation Towards Tourism of the Future – Declaration Signed in Panama

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Transformation Towards Tourism of the Future – Declaration Signed in Panama - TRAVELINDEXPanama City, Panama, February 16, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / On February 9, six tourism ministers and the regional tourism authorities, along with the executives of Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), held a roundtable in Panama and co-signed the Declaration, “Transforming towards the Tourism of the Future.”

While the host country Panama welcomes buyers from eight countries to the ATTA event, Latin American Adventure Next held in Panama City, Iván Eskildsen, Minister of Tourism of Panama extended the invitations to the regional ministers to discuss tourism sector collaboration. Eskildsen’s team initiated the declaration idea and prepared the draft. Following a two-hour, round-table discussion, the ministers all agreed to support the Declaration, which received 11 signatures.

The support was given by the ministers of tourism of Panama (Iván Eskildsen), Colombia (Ricardo Galindo), Costa Rica (Gustavo Alvarado), Ecuador (Niels Olsen), Guatemala (Alejandro De León) and Honduras (Luis Guillermo Chévez), joined by the high authorities of Brazil (Bruno Wending, Secretary of Tourism, Mato Grosso do Sul), Panama (Fernando Fondevila, Executive Director, PROMTUR) and Jordan (Malia Asfour, Director of North America), as well as Shannon Stowell, ATTA CEO, and Gabi Stowell, ATTA Regional Director for Latin America & Caribbean.

The Declaration is in response to a call by UNWTO for the public and private sectors to reconsider the development of the industry as it recovers. UNWTO has identified this time as an opportunity to accelerate tourism’s shift towards greater sustainability.

When asked what prompted him to lead this regional collaborative initiative, Eskildsen says, “As human beings, we need to improve the way we do things in relation to the planet, to people and to our countries. Latin America has amazing similarities such as biodiversity and cultures. We are with the type of mindset: If we can share experiences to improve our wellbeing in our region, then it’s also good for the individual countries. What is good for the beehive, would benefit individual bees, like Marcus Aurelius of Roma said. Our Declaration draft received support from all ministers, who are also supporters of better ideas and more visionary strategies.”

Eskildsen states that Panama will continue to implement its blueprint, the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan approved by the Cabinet and the President. Among many strategies, Panama will continue to work on innovative tourism experiences with the private sector, to showcase and to get the interests of the international markets.

Haybina Hao reporting from Panama City.

Haybina is an international travel industry reporter and has been reporting in both Chinese and English. Linkedin

DECLARATION:  TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS THE TOURISM OF THE FUTURE

WE AGREE

that the future of tourism is collaborative, bringing together the ancestral wisdom of local and indigenous communities with pioneering scientific and economic knowledge in service to long-term stewardship of integrated ecosystems.

WE BELIEVE

the future of tourism is regenerative.  It is our opportunity to rethink the way we interact with nature and people to regenerate invaluable ancestral knowledge in order to face the current anthropogenic climate crisis.

WE RECOGNIZE

the future of tourism is green and blue. It is imperative that our industry protect and regenerate the last wild places and carbon sinks in both land and ocean.

WE ARE COMMITTED

to the transformation towards a carbon-neutral and more socially resilient tourism economy – including new business models through digitalization – thus providing the opportunity to ensure a fair distribution of its benefits and contributing to a global economic reactivation.

Signed in Panama City, the 9th of February, 2022.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO, Panama and NOAH to Create UN Fund for Climate Neutrality

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UNWTO, Panama and NOAH to Create UN Fund for Climate Neutrality

Panama City, Panama, November 14, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Within the framework of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change COP26, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Government of Panama and the business group NOAH agreed to work together for the implementation of the United Nations Fund for Climate Neutrality of Tourism. The Fund represents an innovative financing instrument promoted by UNWTO to respond to threats posed by the climate emergency.

In recognition of the existential threat posed by the climate emergency, UNWTO, the government of Panama and NOAH (Network of Ocean Ambassadors Headquarters) will support the creation of a Capital Fund that will make possible the UN Fund for the Climate Neutrality of Tourism and the creation of a Smart Carbon Exchange Market (MIIC). Led by NOAH together with UNWTO, this market aims to promote the exchange of carbon credits in the most efficient way.

Mobilizing resources

With this agreement, Panama ratifies its climate leadership and its efforts to conserve and regenerate nature and, at the same time, unleash economic growth through tourism that benefits local communities. Panama is one of only three carbon negative countries in the world – that is, it absorbs more greenhouse gases than it emits.

These projects reflect UNWTO’s commitment to transform the tourism sector to accelerate the decarbonization of the sector

The Minister of Tourism of Panama, Iván Eskildsen, highlighted “the role of UNWTO in bringing together a leader in climate response like Panama, firmly committed to tourism as a pillar for the future of people and the planet, and NOAH that will contribute technological and financial solutions to mobilize the necessary resources for a sustainable future for the benefit of all.”

“These projects reflect UNWTO’s commitment to transform the tourism sector to accelerate the decarbonization of the sector,” said UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili. He stressed that this is an example of success based on cooperation between “the UN system, international organizations, UNWTO Member States and the private sector in general”.

Towards “Blue Carbon”

With Panama serving as a pilot country for these initiatives, NOAH will prepare a study in coordination with the Ministry of the Environment to estimate the “blue carbon” reserves in mangroves and seagrasses in protected areas of the country, as well as the reserves of carbon in wetlands.

For his part, the founder of NOAH, Frederic Degret, confirmed that “to articulate this great project, Panama will host the international headquarters of an Intelligent Carbon Exchange Market, as we have agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between UNWTO and NOAH.”

The UNWTO, NOAH and Panama ensure the transition to a tourism sector with net zero emissions and focused on improving people’s lives.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News