Message from the Minister on the drafts of bills

A few days ago, an article was published in a local media announcing that the President, Martin Torrijos, had included the tourism drafts of bills among the requests for extraordinary powers granted by the Legislative branch. The news aroused reactions among some members of the tourism sector in the capital city.

We would like to address some of the comments:

First: During the breaks of each of the National Assembly’s periods of operation, when drafts of bills are pending revision and when the approval of these are a urgent matter, the Constitution has granted the Executive Branch the power to rule over them, assuming a legislative function.

But it is of vital importance that the Executive branch identifies specifically the drafts of bills that it considers urgent, important or special and that it notifies the Assembly of its intention. Only then it can act and only upon the drafts of bills identified, presented and approved by the Legislative branch.

The recent article announced that the President, according to Constitutional powers, asked for the permission and identified amongst drafts in order to rule with his extraordinary powers the following two: the Ley Nacional de Turismo and the Ley Orgánica de Turismo, replacing the Decree – Law 22 of 1960 and creating the Tourism Authority.

The Executive branch has until the end of March 2008 to act upon. In other words, its approval or enactment is not immediate.

Second: Loaiza from APATEL and Vallarino from the Chamber of Commerce as well as the remaining members of IPAT’s Board where publicly informed (as recent as December 2007) that the drafts of bills where being shared with other governmental entities and that we were waiting for their feedback to be included in the drafts of the two bills: the Ley Orgánica that creates the Tourism Authority and the Ley Nacional de Turismo. During my participation in the Board’s meeting as General Manger and the Minister in charge of Tourism, we expressed that we didn’t thought practical presenting incomplete drafts of bills to the Board. In the Board’s act of the corresponding day, my words should be recorded regarding the presentation of incomplete drafts.

We assured you that the drafts would be presented as soon as they were ready. This was also my position as I met with members of the National Assembly to inform them about the process and the reasons behind the drafts of bills regarding Tourism. It was also my position as I participated in many local, national meetings with Industry members. This shouldn’t be a surprise as I have been talking for more than a year of the need to update the Legal apparatus of Tourism, Regarding the content of the drafts of bills, we have gone a long way to establish a subject matter and we have been working on the drafts that are still under revision.

The Panamanian democratic system establishes that bills should be drafted by governmental entities and after they arrive to the National Assembly a consultation period should follow involving the different interest groups and the general public to collect all point of views.

This is yet the case of the drafts of bills that worry us. It was until last December the 13 that I was in meetings with the legal advisors going thru the content of both drafts, line by line, and making comments on the margins when we thought the topics deserved detailed analysis. I am not used to mediocrity and I am applying the same level of commitment and responsibility to the planning of these bills as to all my goals. I hope that on the week of the 26th of the December we could have a first full draft of the bills. God willing. I don’t understand the reasoning behind the indignation of some. The Executive branch has suggested that the draft of a bill that will create the Tourism Authority to be approve by extraordinary powers but the President hasn’t signed upon this yet.

As ordered by the General Accounting Office, I am on vacation and out of the country since the 17th of December. I have given instructions to the Assistant Director, Nordström, that as soon as the first drafts of the bills are ready, to be handed to the Vice-Minister Carmen Gisela Vargas from the Ministry of Commerce, and ad interim chairman of the board. I am also requesting an extraordinary session with the Board for January the 10th where we could start going thru all the articles of both drafts, line by line, to listen to all the input from the members of the Board under the guidance of the ad- interim President.

I recommend for the media to be invited to the session for them to listen to the discussion amongst Board members. This will ensure absolute transparency of procedures; evidence the good intentions of the Government that supports public discussions of drafts of bills and it will leave testimony of the intentions and reasoning behind all Board members. I am all in favor to involve and invite the media. What do Board members Loaiza and Vallarino have to say about this?

I am also requesting for this session to be taped so there is faithful, visual and irrefutable testimony of what is spoken and the degree of commitment. A copy of this tape will be handed to the Executive branch for direct information without intermediaries or interpreters.

Third: About the President’s reasoning behind his decision to include the creation of the Tourism Authority in the requests for extraordinary powers, I can only speculate.

He might be considering moving forward the process, depoliticize it, or extract it from the pre-elections climate that is starting to build up. I don’t know. What should be crystal clear is that – contrary to the comments of a few with too short of a memory- neither the IPAT or the Government has ever attempted to play deaf to the opinion of the private sector. Like I have said and it is recorded, we are still waiting for final drafts on which to start having opinions.

The President will decide and rule when he receives the final comments from all the involved parties – IPAT’s Board, members of the economic sector, public entities, Cabinet, and of course, from the Minister in charge of Tourism.

On behalf of IPAT and the Tourism sector I am thankful for the support and willingness expressed by the President in welcoming and helping make possible the process that will bring into life the tourism laws - so urgently needed. I believe that the President’s worry lies in diminishing the distractions common of pre-electoral periods, almost on top of us; this will help reduce the vast amount of draft of bills to be ruled upon in the short time of public administration left for the current government.

Happiness and a successful and healthy 2008 to all.

Rubén Blades
Minister in charge of Tourism

Coclé – Panama's Charming Province

It’s not even a 2 hours ride from Panama City and you will enter one of the most beautiful and interesting regions the travel world has to offer. Coclé, in the geographic heart of Panama at the southern coast near the provinces of Panama, Colón, Herrera and Varaguas protects its great natural, historic and cultural richness and is a fantastic destination for tourists.

Culture and History of Coclé

For enthusiasts of history and culture trips, the province Coclé is a must see, a real paradise. You can travel back in time and explore unique archeological pre-Columbian attractions like the Archeological Park and Museum El Caño, the Museum of History and Traditions of Penonome in the quarter San Antonio, the archeological excavation Sitio Conte, the Museum of the Valley of Anton or the Gran Coclé Culture Area. Impressive discoveries have been made, especially in worked gold, jewelry, carved bones and textiles. Another very interesting experience might be the indigenous gravesite in Natá, the oldest inhabited village of Panama.

The habitants of Coclé are proud of their history and set a high value on preserving their culture with beautiful folkloric activities and crafted products like their famous colorful sombreros.

Sun and Beach

For those who can’t wait jumping into the waves, tanning in the sun or just relaxing at the beach while enjoying the beautiful exotic panorama, Coclé has a tremendous number of lovely beaches that are waiting to be explored. The best known are the beaches of Santa Clara, Farallon, Playa Blanca, Buenaventura, Palo Seco, Juan Hombrón, Boca Nueva, Los Azules and Rio Hato. Coclé presents a great variety of accommodation facilities, from excellent hotels to picturesque beach lodges. New resorts like the Playa Blanca Hotel & Resort, the Royal Decameron Beach Resort & Casino, the Resort Residencial Bijao and very soon The Bristol Hotel are offering all kinds of services and activities like great typical food, amusing nightlife, watersports, golf and other activities for the whole family. A very special and unique experience is a trip with the Bubba Gump Shrimping Boat. From the fishing port of Vacamonte you can book a tour along the coastline of Coclé with the world’s first fishing boat for tourists and get some shrimps, king prawns, calamari, fishes, and other species. Fishermen with more than 30 years of fishing experience show you how to wrest the seafood from the sea. You never will forget this great adventure.

Agritourism

This new form of tourism offers the possibility to explore life in Coclé not as a tourist but as one of the habitants of a farm or a community of the region. You participate actively in the daily life interacting with the local people, living and working together with them as well as enjoying the free time discovering your surrounding nature in a very intense way. These farms and communities are all verified and approved by the Panama Tourism Bureau IPAT. A good example is the cashew farm of Herman Gnaegi en Natá de los Caballeros. In addition of the amusing work at the farm, the family offers the possibility to visit plants that produce and process typical products like melons, sugar, coffee and milk among others. The best places for agritourism can be found in Valle de Antón, Altos de la Estancia, Vaquilla, Aguadulce y Natá.

Ecologic Tourism

For the Panama Tourism Bureau IPAT, eco-tourism is a very important point in the development of the tourism. A large number of programs have been adopted to minimize the negative and destructive aspects of conventional tourism. The emphasis is on enhancing the cultural and ethnic integrity of the local residents and saving the Panamanian biodiversity with its incomparable flora and fauna. The province Coclé is offering a great number of special activities and lodging-possibilities with focus on ecotourism. Canopy tours in the jungle, rafting in wild river rapids, diving and surfing at the beaches, paragliding over the virgin forests, excursions to the impressive waterfalls, walking tours along forest trails, birdwatching or just the amazing feeling to be in the middle of one of the most exotic faunas and floras of the world. The best spots are Valle de Antón, Cerra La Vieja, La Pintada, Olá and El Copé. All these areas come up with small individual hotels and residences which stand out for personal service and unique charm. Local tour operators like Tropic Tours or Descubra Panama are organizing and designing trips as desired.

Very impressive and unforgettable destinies are the mountains of Coclé. At the top, the third biggest crater of the world with a surface of almost 14 square miles is home of true gastronomic and hospitable treasures like Los Mandarinos and La Casa de Lourdes Boutique Spa & Hotel, offering a spectacular view over the green valley.

Special Destinations of Coclé

National Park Omar Torrijos Herrera

The National Park Omar Torrijos Herrera, also known as El Copé, covers more than 25.000 hectares of forested highlands with hundreds of hectares of virgin forest. It’s located above the central cordilleras, which divides the Caribbean Sea from the Pacific Ocean. Its highest point is the mountain Cerra Peña Blanca with an altitude of 1.200 meters above sea level. Birdwatchers definitively will find there a true world class hotspot. Above all the rare humming birds, Orange-bellied Trogons, Strong-billed woodcreepers, the Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, the Snail Kite and the bare-necked umbrella bird have been seen here constantly in the last years. Furthermore, the rare reports from Canopy Lodge announce that the following species have been seen the ultimate weeks: Rufous-crested Coquette, Black-crowned Antpitta, Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Barred Forest-Falcon, Collared Aracari, Tody Motmot and Mottled Owl. Other animal species you can find there, also species in danger of extinction, are cougars, jaguars, ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, tapirs, collared peccaries, white-lipped peccaries and white-tailed deers.

El Valle de Antón

El Valle de Anton is one of the most preferred places for stressed citizens of Panama City to relax and recuperate. You can reach it very easy by car or bus.

Snugged in the crater of the world’s second-biggest extinct volcano, El Valle, how it’s called by the Panamanians, opens its treasure chest to the visitants. The steep valley is covered by colorful flowers, jagged peaks and verdant forest and the temperature is stable between 65º and 85ºF throughout the whole year. El Valle de Anton is famous for its Sunday Market that takes place along the Avenida Principal. It’s a colorful and vivace happening that attracts locals, tourists and vendors (many of them are indigenous peoples from the Emberá and Ngöbe-Buglé tribes from around the area). They are selling their traditional and hand-crafted products like baskets, woven bags, clothing, pottery, and much more.

Travelers looking for sport activities will be delighted by the range of possibilities. The Valle de Anton can be discovered perfectly by bike cruising easily on planar paths or fighting challenging pro mountain bike trails. Another way of exploring the valley is by horse, which is one of the best ways to enjoy the spectaculars mountain views. More than 350 species of birds are living in the valley, which makes it one of the best spots for birdwatching in Panama. The birdwatching lodge Canopy Tower just finished building their second property there to offer a place to observe birds typically found in cloud- and rainforests. One of the best places of Valle de Anton for birdwatchers is the Cerro Gaital National Monument also offering one of the most amazing hiking trails. Rewarding top of the trail: you can see the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Adrenalin lovers will find one of the most amazing ways to discover the rainforests of Coclé. After a short climb to a platform at the top of a ridge, you strap in a harness connected to a pulley on a steel cable and soar through the treetops, where you are part of a wealth of unexpected natural beauty. You will glide from platform to platform high above the sturdy forest trees, which are gradually descend from the canopy, allowing you to appreciate tropical vegetation from different vantage points. Canopy Adventure is one of the main operators at the Valle de Anton and offers Canopy tours, birdwatching trips and accommodations with fantastic views.

After such exiting activities, the exhausted adventurer might need to recuperate. Nestled within an ancient volcanic crater where clouds dance a top rainforest covered mountain sides, Crater Valley Resort & Adventure Spa specialized in wellness and outdoor adventure offers you perfect ways to relax and find back to yourself. Rich in charm and wrapped in tropical landscaping and water gardens the offered facilities cater to world travelers in search for the ultimate mind, body and soul vacation. Another good possibility to relax and one of the best hotels in Coclé is the Los Mandarinos Boutique, Spa & Hotel which rise with magnificent views in the middle of a great vegetation. This elegant hotel offers a full spa including massage, whirlpool, Turkish bath, fangotherapy, and a solarium.

You can find more information about Panama in general and the fantastic travel destination Coclé in special at www.ipat.gob.pa.

Panama - a fantastic place for birdwatching

“There´s the Blue Cotinga,” said the birdwatcher while he quickly marked the bird in his taxonomical list, “this year has been no exception, and the Cotingas offer us their beauty every year during our Christmas Bird count”. With an extension of 75,517 square miles and a wide variety of accessible habitats, the Republic of Panama is home to an estimated 971 bird species, more than what you would find in the United States and Canada brought together.

But that’s not all, from September to April; Panama turns into birdwatchers paradise witnessing the passing through of an estimated 150 migratory bird species. During this time of the year, it’s not rare to be able to appreciate between 70 to 80 different species in one same day.

Recognized as an important land bridge that unites North and South America, Panama has the world´s largest biodiversity, reason why it currently holds for decades now, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute main offices in Latin America.

Birdwatching in Panama is an activity that shows current demand by aficionados, international tourists and birdwatchers, this fact is confirmed by the Audubon’s Society Christmas Bird Count that brings together every year an important number of members and friends.

Audubon organizes the Christmas Bird Count every year in the area of the Panama Canal Watershed, taking into consideration three main observation areas: the Pacific, Central and Atlantic Sectors.

Panama’s rich biodiversity allows experts to find bird species from both North and South America, making it an easy and effortless task. Panama has been known to hold, since the 1970’s the highest number of 24 hour bird sightings record.

The Audubon Society of Panama (PAS), promotes Panama’s avitourism industry working together with important local authorities and representatives such as public schools, rural communities, the Metropolitan Nature Park Patronato, the Friends of the Harpy Eagle Association, among others. Internationally, PAS is the Panama Partner for Birdlife International, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) and are members of IUCN and the Waterbird Conservation Council.

From the 971 bird species found in Panama, 16 are endemic, 4 have been introduced by humans and 97 are accidental, 20 of them are globally endangered species.

Panama’s preferred places to bird watch are:

1. The Oleoducto, at the Soberania National Park: Only 45 minutes from Panama City, the Oleoducto is one of the world’s most accessible tropical forests.

2. The Escobal and the Camino del Achiote

3. Cerro Azul y the Reserva Forestal Cerro Jefe, less than an hour ride from Panama City.

4. Cerro Campana at the Campana National Park.

5. El Valle and the Reserva Forestal del Cerro Gaital, a quick 2 hour ride from Panama City.

So make Panama your next birdwatching destination, live what thousands have already experienced first hand and witness an important number of the 971 species Panama has to offer!

Panama launches “Sustainable Tourist Development Master Plan of Panama 2007 – 2020”

The Panamanian Institute of Tourism IPAT confirmed officially the beginning of the “Sustainable Tourist Development Master Plan of Panama 2007 – 2020” with the presentation of the Spanish company Tourism & Leisure (EuroPraxis Consulting), a consulting company which has been awarded the contract to develop the 20 year tourism plan.

The new Master Plan will be handled from an own permanent office, which will supervise the implementation and assure continuousness. New laws have been passed to organize the activities and to define the parameters. “With each government you loose knowledge and competency. Therefore the new office will evaluate the Master Plan always with the same involved persons. With all the information we have, we can ensure the success of the “Sustainable Tourist Development Master Plan of Panama 2007 – 2020” affirmed the Minister of Tourism of Panama, Rubén Blades.

A follow-up commission for the new “Sustainable Tourist Development Master Plan of Panama 2007 – 2020”, built out of public and private organizations like the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the National Environment Authority ANAM, the Ministry of Housing Policy MIVI, the Panamanian Chamber of Tourism CAMTUR, tourism operators and Airlines together with the IPAT, will be integrated in the process with the objective of controlling the compliance of regulations.

The participation of the United Nations World Tourism Organization UNWTO in the designing and structuring of the Tourism Master Plan is significant. At the presentation, the expert Raúl Jaramillo from the UNWTO annotated the dependence of tourism and infrastructure. The connection depends on the networks: transport, airlines, cruisers, et cetera. In addition he explained that major touristic decisions must be taken not only for occasional points but for a whole region. In other words it’s important to be aware of and respond to the strategies of the Caribbean and to work together.

“Not only experts are able to design a good strategy plan. We all know that you have to present the most prestigious and unique material, your unique selling propositions. You have to present your most valuable touristic products and the parts of the country with the highest quality”, said Raúl Jaramillo, expert of the UNWTO.

The touristic development of Panama is headed by international consultants who will cover the areas marketing, infrastructure, sociology, architecture and territorial order.

The first step of the “Sustainable Tourist Development Master Plan of Panama 2007 – 2020” is the review and the revision of the touristic classification of the Panamanian land area. “Tourism works with a pretty fundamental material: territory. If tourists aren’t inspired by the touristic territory, you failed” explained Juan Manuel Ribera, International Director of the Master Plan.

The Minister of Tourism, Rubén Blades, announced that right now they are going about important subjects for Panama City, like the pedestrian area for tourists, the tramcar which will connect the Gehry Museum with the Docks of the costal shipping wherefrom you can travel to Las Perlas, Taboga and Contadora Isle.

With the implementation of this new Master Plan, action and inversion plans for the development of the different touristic products will be designed, statistics of the sector of tourism will be readjusted, a strategy of promotion and international commercialization will be generated and a national long term strategy will be elaborated.

“All the governmental authorities are working together. This is the moment to clear the air by identifying the subjects and pushing them forward”, stated Rubén Blades, Minister of Tourism.

Panama - Paradise of living colors

Nature and ecotourism

The word “Panama” has pre-Columbian roots and signifies “richness of fishes, trees and butterflies”. Panama’s rich biodiversity is a result of its unique geographic constitution and its position which creates an intersection of the Americas and thousands of species of flora and fauna. The country offers natural attractions like beaches, lakes, wilderness and forests populated with all kinds of aquatic and terrestrial wild life. Approximately 33% of the landmass is protected by 15 national parks, seven forestal reservations and various protected wild life habits.

Flora in its highest brightness

The worldwide flora consists of more than 30.000 species and in Panama you can find more than 35% of it. In the different areas flourish rangy flowers, moss, lichens, algae and fungi; in great parts wild and endemic. There also grow 678 species de fern and a variety of 1.500 trees across the country.

Birds and butterflies are painting the Panamanian sky

Besides of the migrant birds Panama habitats 967 species of birds. In the highlands of the province Chiriquí you can face the beautiful quetzals and in the wilderness of Darién you can visit the Águila Arpía, the national bird. The national monument of Barro Colorado is a wild life habit used like national laboratory for the Smithsonian Institute. Panama offers 20 of the 27 living species of the avifauna worldwide and 1.500 species of mariposas.

Close to the coast are hundreds of isles and protected coral reef communities. Its remote location offers a perfect place for species in danger of extinction. Between May and September four species of sea turtles lay their eggs at the beaches of the National Park Marino Isla Batimentos.

In the archipelago of Bocas del Toro a lot of migrant birds, depending on the season, recuperate from their exhausting trip. At times up to 50 different bird species can be found on the isles.

In the south of Bocas del Toro, en the province of Chiriquí, you can find the International Park of Friendship (PILA). This park has been declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO for its great importance for the preservation of the biodiversity, not only for Panama, also for the whole continent. The park offers one of the largest numbers of big animal species like jaguars and a great variety of birds. The clammy tropical forests are the last primeval forests of Central America and own 7 of the 12 zones of life that are necessary for the maintenance of the principal terrestrial ecosystems.

The great eco-touristic variety and accessibility of the Panamanian attractions have converted the country in a primordial destination for nature enthusiasts. Expeditions take tourists to experience the boundless biodiversity and beauty of the fauna and flora like all the other touristic attractions.

The Panama Canal, a terrific creation of the human esprit

The Pamama Canal, one of the miracles of the modern world has been terminated in 1924 by the government of the United States and at the 31.12. 1999 assigned to the absolute control of Panama due to the contracts Torrijos-Carterat. The Canal of Panama has a length of 54 miles, from Colón in the Caribbean till Panama in the Pacific.

A ship needs an average of 8 to 10 hours to transit the canal. While doing so, the ships escalade or descend 26 meters through the watergates of Gatún, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores. The construction of the canal required ten years and 75.000 men and women and had a cost of 400 million US-Dollars. The canal opened its gates for the sea-traffic the 15 of august 1914. Till today, 700 millions of ships have crossed the canal.

Today Panama stands out for its nature, ample fishing, countless beaches, more than thousand of paradisiacal isles in its archipelagos and for its people, friendly, hilarious and hospitable. This magic that banished so many adventurers for more than 500 years, it’s still out there waiting for you.

Adventure and sportive tourism

For all of those who have an adventurous spirit or like the sportive tourism, Panama offers an experience unforgettable to you. In Panama you can find expeditions to hardly explored areas and discover a new world full of natural and exotic beauty. Rediscover the same wilderness and forests which has been discovered by the conquistadores 500 years ago, visit mysterious caves with its stalagmites and stalactites or just marvel during the excursions at the cascades and the surprising characteristic landscape of this tropical paradise. Visit the wilderness in a different way from the impressive altitude of the trees up to 66m and enjoy a panorama totally different.

If the green of the golf courts is your sportive predilection, Panama offers the best golf courts in Central America including the only computerized GPS system of Latin America. You can choose between courts close to Panama City at the Canal or courts near the beach.

The Panama's seas, privileged place for water sports

Panama is the perfect place for a lot of aquatic activities like fishing, rafting, diving, snorkeling and surfing. There are five worldwide respected diving areas including the Bocas del Toro, the Coiba Isle, the Isle Grande and the Panama Canal for archaeological and historic diving. The maritime National Park Isla Bastimentos in the province of Bocas del Tore is the first maritime park of the country and includes parts of the Isle Bastimentos and the Isles Zapatillas. Its 13.226 hectares build one of Panamas most beautiful and important marine habitats. The reefs, swamplands, protected beaches for animal observation and the lagoons in the south of the coastal area are very important for the surviving of the precious marine species.

Its remote distance offer sin the Caribbean a perfect conservation for species in danger of extinction. Between March and September four sea turtle species spawn in these beaches. You also can practice kayaking and tubing. The high water content rivers of the national parks Chagres or Volcán Barú have difficult degrees 3 and 4 of the international classification. This sportive adventure guides you through a watery tropical wilderness. If you are looking for good spots to surf, check out the great beaches of Punta Puss Head, Paunch, Bluff in the Caribbean, Bluff in Bocas del Toro, Venao in Los Santos and finally Santa Catalina in Veraguas.

Lake Alajuela is famous for its fishing and other water activities like Water Ski, Jet Ski, Veleros and swimming. Panama also offers excellent fishing in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, but also in the lakes Gatún and Bahía Piña, lakes which hold about 170 fishing records worldwide.

For this and a lot more Panama is the number one for nature enthusiasts, lovers of activities like fishing and sports and those who only want to enjoy a recreative and unforgettable stay which fulfills all of your sportive and adventurous wishes.