May’s Panorama with Gabriel Barletta

Gabriel Barletta

CEO of Panorama de las Américas

Three years ago we received a mandate from the president of Copa Airlines: to vigorously support local tourism, contribute to the growth of small businesses, and be part of promoting Panama’s tourism image

As part of Panorama’s editorial mission, promoting Panama as a destination has always been among our objectives, but we had never done it with as much emphasis as we have since the pandemic.

With the promotion of conscious tourism by PROMTUR, Panama seeks travelers with the curiosity to understand our indigenous peoples, respect our exuberant nature, and share the desire to spend time with our people.

All the efforts that the country has made on various fronts to encourage tourism have borne fruit. In 2024, foreign exchange earnings from tourism increased by 10% compared to 2023, and by January 2025, international visitor arrivals had already increased by 3.4% compared to the same period in 2024.

So at Panorama, we understand the importance of our work to ensure this industry continues to grow, thus contributing to regional development, job creation, promotion of local cultures, and income redistribution.

Es por todas estas razones que en esta edición de Panorama de las Américas encontrará un gran componente nacional. En primer lugar, en nuestra sección Solo en Panamá lo invitamos a vivir tres experiencias muy particulares en Bocas del Toro.

Next, we uncover for our readers the boom and accelerated growth being experienced by Venao, a beach area belonging to the district of Pedasí, on the Azuero peninsula, which is causing a sensation among investors and expatriates looking for a quiet place to live, raise families, and expand their businesses.

We also promote the Festival of Devils and Congos, a tradition from Portobelo that evokes the resistance that Africans exercised against their condition as slaves and all the struggles they carried out to achieve their liberation.

And finally, we highlight Isla Grande, a traditional Panamanian destination that had been falling into undeserved oblivion, as it has incredible natural attributes and landscapes for all kinds of tourists.

As we cannot forget our international component, in this edition we visit Montevideo, a tranquil southern city with monumental architecture, where you can eat delicious food and drink good wine. We also invite you to the grand Festival of the Sun in Cusco, Peru: the Inti Raymi, an ancestral tradition that one should attend at least once in a lifetime.

Come then, accept our invitation to travel and embark on the adventure of discovering untold paradises.