The cruise company will return to the Central American country with 19 annual base port operations and will bring more than 40,000 visitors annually from December 2023
The perceived economic impact will be around 28 million balboas per year, taking into account that a cruise passenger spends an average of two days in the destinations where they embark or disembark at the base port. “We are very motivated by the announcement of the new operations of Royal Caribbean with a base port in Panama, taking advantage of the conditions of being the only country with cruise ports on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts and the Panama Canal that connects both,” he said. the general manager of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Iván Eskildsen, during the announcement made by Royal Caribbean, in the presence of senior executives of said company.
Efforts are being undertaken by the National Government following the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025, with approximately 800 million balboas in investment at the national level, coordinated with the Tourism Cabinet, whose objective is to strengthen tourism activity as a strategic economic sector, and with the purpose of generating jobs, integrating the communities, articulating the territories and increasing the competitiveness of the Panamanian industry.
During this cruise season, which began in November 2021 to January 30, 2022, 29,481 passengers have entered through the ports of Amador, Colón 2000 and Gatún.
Panama has the possibility of positioning itself in a very competitive way due to the benefits it offers due to its connectivity, security, infrastructure and the complement provided by cultural and nature tourism experiences. For this reason. Royal Caribbean International announced three new itineraries that will take place from Panamanian ports. The first season of Rhapsody of the Seas will begin in December 2023. A second phase will begin in February 2024 with an itinerary between Colón and the new base port in Fuerte Amador touring the canal waters. a significant way to speed up the economic reactivation in the city of Colón and Panama, by attracting foreign exchange and international events”, assured the head of the ATP.
Leave feedback about this