3. Avoid Condo Complex – Tourists are familiar with beach condos.  They’re not new.  They’ve uglied the beach skylines of once-attractive destinations like Waikiki, Myrtle Beach, and Daytona Beach (though, Daytona may never have been beautiful).  There’s nothing authentic about towers at the beach.  Worse, they destroy land values behind them because they block ocean views.  If Costa Rica did one thing right, it was to limit the height of ocean-side buildings. This creates a more subtle beach skyline that has an eco-friendly feeling to it.  It also makes guests feel like they’re in the tropics instead of some cookie cutter beach town elsewhere in the world.  In marketing 101, they called this “differentiation”.  In order for Panama to set itself apart from a very competitive tourism world it needs to be unique, authentic and sustainable.  Harsh lessons have been learned by developers in the destinations mentioned above.  The minute Panama’s coastline looks and feels like anywhere else…it can only charge as much for room nights as anywhere else.

4. Create “Authentic” Destinations – Large scale projects should be avoided because resort towns always feel like resort towns.  Panama should instead focus on the proliferations of mid-size hotels that support, employ and integrate with the local villages.  Towns like Pedasi, Changinola and Colon must modernize and still retain local flavor.

How does Panama make high end, “authentic” tourism a reality?  Here’s my 10-step plan.

1. Improve customer service through education and awareness (please and thank you, Panama!) campaigns

2. Relax immigration and protectionist business laws to enable immigrants with the proper know how to pass along essential tourism/service knowledge and skills

3. Pass strict governmental regulations on tourism, commercial and residential development

4. Provide incentives for successful small hoteliers to do business in Panama

5. Provide incentives and tax breaks for projects that meet minimum eco-friendly standards (solar power, minimal water use, internal treatment plants, minimal deforestation and earth moving).

6. Provide incentives for tourism businesses to give back to the local community in which they operate:
   a. Tax breaks for donations to local schools
   b. Tax breaks for charitable contributions to other approved non-profit organizations that foster 
       community 
       growth, eco-awareness, preserving cultural and natural history
   c. Tax breaks for on the job training
   d. Tax breaks for sending staff to specified schools for hospitality and service training
   e. Tax breaks for donating renewable resources (solar, water treatment) in the nearby towns and 
       villages
   f. Tax breaks for sending staff to eco-education and natural history training

7. Create a world-class Hospitality Major at the University of Panama
   a. Bring in great professors and guest lecturers
   b. Take measures to promote and give incentive to future students to pursue degrees in Tourism
   c. Offer classes to anyone interested in learning about tourism, hospitality, guiding, Panama 
       history and the key skills and knowledge that Panama’s workforce will need to service the
       millions of tourists on their way here. 

8. Sponsor National Holidays
   a. Reinforce national, cultural and ethnic pride with fantastic state-sponsored holidays.
   b. Re-educate the public on the vibrant cultural and natural history of Panama.
   c. Suggested holidays:
       i. Afro-Caribbean Pride Week – focused on the food, history and music of the Afro-Carib 
          influence in Panama. 
       ii. Canal History Week – installations at all the malls, schools and special expos at the Canal 
          Museum and Miraflores Locks
       iii.Native Tribes Week – all native indigenous cultures parade in Panama City, craft fair, 
          educational seminars at local hotels. 
       iv.National Parks Week – special rates at all National Parks, one endangered species per year 
          highlighted.
       v.Colonial Panama Week – Portobello lore and Casco Viejo on display in respective areas.

9. Keep It Safe
   a. Share the wealth in local communities
       i. Hotels employ locals, re-invest in local schools, training
       ii. Government promises funds for some local town infrastructure where developers demonstrate 
          sustainable plans
   b. Provide adequate police force to prevent locals and tourists from behaving badly

Thanks for your attention Sr. Blades.  It is great to know that you also share my passion for Panama.  I hope that in ten years, you and I can look back and say, yes, we made the right moves. We had a vision, we set the bar high, and we enabled Panama to become one of the most admired tourism destinations in the world.

Sincerely,

Casey Halloran
Co-Owner 
www.vacationscostarica.com