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🇵🇦 Panama /Economy & Trade

Panama Nears One Million Visitors in First Quarter of 2026

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Panama recorded nearly one million tourists in the first quarter of 2026, building on a total of three million visitors in 2025.
  • Tourism growth is attributed to international promotion strategies, airline partnerships, and enhanced air connectivity, with significant economic impact.
  • The country is also leveraging its role as a hub for conventions and aiming to attract transit passengers through initiatives like the Panama Stopover program.

Panama's tourism sector is experiencing a robust surge, with the country welcoming nearly one million visitors in the first quarter of 2026 alone. This impressive figure builds upon the three million tourists recorded in the entirety of 2025, signaling a strong upward trend. Gloria De León, administrator of the Tourism Authority of Panama, highlighted these positive numbers, attributing the growth to effective international promotion, strategic alliances with airlines, and the strengthening of air connectivity. The economic impact is substantial, with tourism generating $2 billion in the first few months of the year.

The tourism is always good news. We have increased the number, we closed 2025 with three million visitors and in the first quarter of the year we already have almost a million visitors.

· Gloria De LeónAdministrator of the Tourism Authority of Panama, announcing positive tourism figures.

Beyond leisure travel, Panama is actively positioning itself as a premier destination for congresses and conventions. The first quarter saw over 38 events hosted, contributing more than $20 million to the national economy through hotel stays, transportation, dining, and related activities. Projections for the remainder of the year are even more ambitious, with plans to host over 82 events expected to generate over $125 million. This focus on business tourism diversifies the sector and enhances its economic contribution.

Our strategies are working, the Panama Stopover of Copa is working, strategic alliances with wholesale airlines, digital positioning, which help us attract more tourists.

· Gloria De LeónAttributing the tourism growth to specific promotional and strategic initiatives.

From the perspective of TVN Panamá, these figures represent a resounding success for the nation's tourism strategy. The growth is not accidental; it is the result of deliberate efforts to enhance Panama's appeal and accessibility. The article notes that the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador are leading source markets, with a notable increase in tourists from Europe, particularly Italy. Furthermore, initiatives like the Panama Stopover program are being leveraged to encourage transit passengers, especially those traveling for the FIFA World Cup, to extend their stays. The upcoming launch of a new national brand in September is also anticipated to further consolidate Panama's identity on the global tourism map. This sustained growth underscores Panama's potential as a key tourist and business destination in the region.

That is between hotel stays, transportation, restaurants, and activities they do when they stay.

· Gloria De LeónExplaining the economic impact of conventions and events.
About this summary

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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