The document summarizes the 9th annual Tourism Forum organized by AmCham to promote Panamanian tourism. It discusses several presentations made at the forum about developing sustainable and responsible tourism. These included developing Panama's national parks, improving factors like education and healthcare to make Panama the best place for business in Latin America, and revitalizing historic districts like Casco Viejo. The forum aimed to discuss improving tourism in Panama and attract over 300 people from the tourism sector.

1. AMCHAM NEWS
Networking is our business
SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
Phone: 301-3881 Fax: 301-3882
amcham@panamcham.com www.panamcham.com
Aquilino de la Guardia Ave and 47 St, Ocean Business Plaza Bldg, 17 floor.
Every year, AmCham
organizes a Tourism
Forum to promote
Panamanian tourism
around the world.
Over several months,
the AmCham Tourism
Committee and its
Chair, Nancy Hanna,
bring together lec-
tures, seminars and
projects that they
believe will boost
tourism in the coun-
try.
This 9th annual Fo-
rum was entitled
“Panama: A world
class tourist destina-
tion” with presenters
from Panama, Costa
Rica, the central
Provinces and experts
in tourism develop-
ment. It brought over
300 people from the
tourism sector to the
I n t e r C o n t i n e n t a l
Miramar Panamá for
a discussion on im-
proving Tourism in
Panama.
Tourism Forum Special Edition
What Panama Needs to become the best
place in Latin America to do Business
Sam Taliaferro is the
owner of Valle Escon-
dido, a residential
resort community in
the mountain high-
lands of Panama,
designed for those
looking for an exotic
yet first world life-
style.
His presentation dis-
cussed the factors
that Panama needs
to improve and be-
come the best place
in Latin American to
do Business. Issues
discussed were edu-
cation, security,
health care, ease of
access, and variety of
available activities.
Sam was presented
with a plaque honor-
ing his tireless ser-
vice to the develop-
ment of responsible
tourism in Panama.
Photo: Nancy Hanna; Am-
Cham Tourism Committee
Chair, and Sam Taliaferro;
Owner of Valle Escondido.
Panama’s National Park Take Off
Adrian Benedetti is a
Tourism Committee
collaborator and is
one of the develop-
ers of the Project of
the Sustainable Na-
tional Parks in Pa-
nama.
In his lecture, he
explained the master
plan to develop this
project in six major
parks: Coiba, La
Amistad, Chagres,
Soberania, Basti-
mentos and Volcan
Baru, focusing on
the visitor experi-
ence, the green ar-
eas and the main
attractions, among
others.
Photo: Adrian Bennedetti,
Director of ANAM’s National
Parks.
Glenn Jampol is a
pioneer in sustainable
tourism in Costa Rica
and a consultant in
sustainable and res-
ponsible ecological
development practi-
ces.
His lecture provided
information on how
to implement sustai-
nable, ecologically
friendly tourism in
Panama.
Boutique Hotels in Mature
“Lucrative & Sustainable Tourism”
Photo: Glenn Jampol, Owner,
Finca Rosa Blanca, Costa Rica.
The Pearl Island Sustainable Tourism
Group and Saboga Island.
Mr. Armel Gonzalez
is the owner of a
land in Isla Saboga,
and is currently de-
veloping an ecologi-
cal and sustainable
project on Saboga
Island. The master
plan for this project
includes a Boutique
Spa, a Wellness Cen-
ter, a Marina and
World Class Restau-
rants.
Photo: Armel González, Isla
Saboga
Report from the
Provinces of Panama
Pedro Fabrega is a
founder of the bou-
tique hotel Los Man-
darinos in El Valle.
Renée Kimball is Presi-
dent of the Bocas Sus-
tainable Tourism in
Bocas del Toro.
Donnie Estrada is the
founding president of
the FUNDACION DE-
S A R R O L L O D E L
CARIBE, a nonprofit
organization promoting
sustainable develop-
ment in the Caribbean
coast of Veraguas.
Salomon Shamah is
the current Minister
of Tourism of Pa-
nama.
In his lecture he ex-
plained the strategies
and projects that the
Autoridad de Turismo
de Panama (ATP) are
developing during
this administration,
including the creation
of new International
Airports, new Con-
vention Centers, Co-
lonial centers (Cascos
Antiguos) in the Cen-
tral Provinces and
additional nature trail
and destinations.
Salomon Shamah, Minister of Tourism.
Photo: S.E. Salomon Shamah
Casco Viejo, Authentic Historical Destination
K.C. Hardin is co-
founder and general
manager of Conser-
vatorio S.A., a com-
pany dedicated to
the revitalization of
Panama city’s Casco
Antiguo. His presen-
tation included slides
of the new develop-
ment in the Casco
Viejo and an expla-
nation of what is
making this a great
historic district.
Photo: KC Harding, President
of Arco Properties.
AmCham Events and
Committee Meetings
CSR Workshop, 7:30
AM, Thursday, Sep-
tember 17 at The
Bristol Hotel.
Hydrocarbon Com-
mittee, 8:00 AM, Fri-
day, September 18 at
AmCham.
Trade & Investment
Committee, 7:30 AM,
Wednesday, Septem-
ber 23 at AmCham.
ODHC Committee,
12:00 noon, Thurs-
day, September 24 at
AmCham.
Panama Tourism Report
Fidel Reyes is a con-
sultant in hotel and
resort development
who presented an
analysis of changes in
tourism in Panama.
His graphic presenta-
tion explained how
tourism in Panama
has been sustained
and even grown in
recent years, placing
the country in the top
ten list of tourist des-
tinations. The infor-
mation was based on
hotel occupancy ra-
tings, the frequency of
flights to Panama and
the number of people
entering and leaving
the country daily.
Photo: Fidel Reyes, Director
of FR Consulting and Am-
Cham Vice President.