CNN On Panama’s Pearl Islands: “A Beach Bum’s Paradise”

Panama’s Pearl Islands were recently featured in an article on CNN, and were described as a “beach bum’s paradise.” The Pearl Islands are located 30 miles off the Pacific coast of Panama in the Gulf of Panama, and can be reached via a short 20 minute plane ride from Panama City. The tropical islands were the location of three seasons of the American television program ‘Survivor.’

The Pearl Islands, which are said to have been stop off point for Spanish Conquistadors on their way to bring treasure back to Spain, are now the location of many wealthy Panamanian’s vacation residences. The Pearl Islands were briefly the home of the Shah of Iran following his exile in the late 1970s.

The author visited Contadora, one of three islands in the archipelago that are accessible by plane, and Mogo Mogo, a deserted island used to film seasons of ‘Survivor’ (which is still used as the location to international versions of the show). The Pearl Islands feature pristine beaches, fantastic snorkeling, and chance run-ins with television crews.

For more information the CNN article can be read here

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Tourism On The Rise In Panama, Says Seattle Times

Panama’s tourism industry brings in $1.5 billion in revenue per year, more than earned from the tolls at the Panama Canal, according to a recent article in the Seattle Times. Panama’s government, through the official tourism ministry – IPAT, have sought to increase the country’s visibility by promoting the recent “Panama – It Never Leaves You” advertising campaign. The article discusses major tourism destinations in Panama, including Isla Parida, David, Boquete, and Bocas del Toro.

The article also described the rapid pace at which growth and development have been occurring in parts of Panama. A local from Isla Parida, an island ten miles off the coast from David in southwestern Panama, describes his current frustration have sold his property over a decade ago when surrounding land was converted into a national park, not knowing the value the property would be holding today.

The author goes on to describe his experience Boquete, in Chiriqui Province:

Nowhere is the investment as intimate as in the lush foothills of the 11,397-foot Baru volcano, where Americans retire in mass to the town of Boquete. Signs on the edge of town promote Coldwell Banker, Kohler sinks and the Hacienda Los Molinos, which promises, in English, “A Fabulous Lifestyle in Boquete… Later, [we] drive the road east from Boquete and pass parked bulldozers, cleared hillsides and billboards promising more.

I thought the article was interesting, and shows the wealth of opportunities that Panama offers to international tourists. Panama is uniquely positioned as a crossroads of business and culture, as well as an ecological crossroads between two continents. This diversity will help to continue to diversify and help bolster Panama’s already robust tourism industry.

Source:

A detour-filled drive across Panama (Seattletimes.com)

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James Bond And The ‘Canoe Man’ Draw British Tourists To Panama

Unlikely current events have been fueling a sharp increase in British tourism in Panama; the ongoing investigation of John Darwin, the infamous ‘canoe man’ who faked his death and fled to Panama, as well as the upcoming James Bond film ‘Quantum of Solace’ (filmed in part in Panama) have brought attention to the country, kindling a recent spike in tourist activity. According to an article in The Times, one of Panama’s largest tour operators in the UK has seen an increase in sales upwards of 249%.
 
John Darwin, who has become notorious for faking his own death while on a solo canoe trip, fled to Panama with the hopes of opening an eco-lodge in the country. The ongoing investigation of Darwin and his accomplice wife has unintentionally brought a great deal of publicity to Panama and the eco-tourism industry in the country.
 
The timing of the buzz around John Darwin has also coincided with the filming and promotion of the upcoming James Bond film “Quantum of Solace.” The movie (which has yet to be released in theaters), was filmed in parts of Colon and Casco Viejo, and has spurred tour operators to create “James Bond” tours that visit locations from the film, and hotels that Bond actor Daniel Craig stayed in.
 
While I don’t find it all that shocking that the John Darwin story has spurred an increased interest in vacationing in Panama (I mean, if someone fakes their death to move to Panama, there must be something appealing about the country.. right?), I am surprised that the upcoming bond film, which has yet to be released, is bringing tourism into Panama already. I imagine once the film is released it will provide another bump to the tourism industry in Panama, although this will likely depend on how the region is portrayed in the film (as Colon is meant to represent Haiti in the film, not Panama itself), and whether or not the latest Bond installment is as successful as its most recent predecessors.

Con artist John Darwin has unintentionally boosted tourism in Panama

Source:

Canoe Man and Bond boost Panama tourism (TimesOnline.com)

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World Famous Architect Designing New Biodiversity Museum In Panama City

Frank Gehry, the world famous architect best known for the innovative Guggenhiem Museum in Spain, has designed a new biodiversity museum in Panama City. The “The Bridge of Life” Museum will house exhibits that showcase the diversity of life at the crossroads of two continents. Permanent exhibits currently being developed include an exhibit focusing on interdependent systems in ecology, an exhibit with full scale models of extinct animals that once inhabited the isthmus, and an exhibit on the separation of the aquatic ecosystems of the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. The museum is in a partnership with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and will be the first international museum incorporated into the Smithsonian’s affiliations program.

The impressive architecture of the new building will surely bring prestige to the city, as Frank Gehry has become one of the most sought after architects in recent memory

The museum is being built at the Amador Causeway, a location only a few blocks from the main cruise ship port in Panama City. The area is currently being developed as a major tourist destination, with the Gehry designed biodiversity museum as the centerpiece. The impressive architecture of the new building will surely bring prestige to the city, as Frank Gehry has become one of the most sought after architects in recent memory. His buildings have included world famous landmarks such as the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Experience Music Project in Seattle.

Panama City’s new biodiversity museum is currently slated to be completed in 2009, and once open will bring a level of prestige to the city through its world class architecture and affiliation with one of the most important tropical research institutions in the world.

Check out these pictures of the buildings design from the Bridge of Life’s website:

sources:

Panama City Tourism (Wikipedia.org)

Bridge of life: The building (Biomuseopanama.org)

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Panama Listed Top Travel Destination As Dollar Continues To Fall

Money magazine listed Panama as a top travel destination for Americans as the dollar continues to fall. With exchange rates making travel to Europe extremely expensive for many Americans, Panama is becoming a much more appealing option to Americans interested in traveling abroad. With the balboa pegged to the dollar, Americans don’t have to worry about exchange rates or changing currency, especially when the dollar is accepted almost everywhere in the country.

Here’s what Money Magazine has to say:

Panama. This small country boasts mountains, rain forests, 1,500 miles of coast (your pick of the Caribbean or Pacific) and, of course, the magnificent canal, where you can gawk at supertankers being raised and lowered through the locks. Forget exchange rates: Panama’s currency, the balboa, is pegged at parity with the U.S. dollar, and the dollar itself is accepted virtually everywhere.

Source:

Vacation where the dollar is still strong (Marketwatch.com)

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Panama Named Top Destination For Medical Tourism

Panama has been named the top destination in the world for medical tourism by NuWire Investor. Panama is an ideal place for Americans interested in having medical procedures done abroad for several reasons. While the average cost of care is higher in Panama than in countries such as Malaysia or India, the cost of travel between the United States and Panama is considerably less. Panama is a relatively Americanized nation, both in that its official currency is the dollar, and that there are many American expatriates currently living in Panama. In addition to this, Panama has a modern health care system within its major urban centers, with many physicians trained in the United States. These issues may comfort some Americans looking for care outside of the United States, and makes Panama an extremely appealing option as a medical tourism destination.

The medical tourism industry has been growing substantially over the past few years, and is expected to be a $100 billion industry by 2012. There is no doubt that such a large industry will have an impact on Panama’s economy, especially with such a large portion of the nations GDP generated within service industries. In addition to paying for the health care provided, patients receiving treatment outside of their home country are more likely to spend more time in recovery in preparation for the stress of travelling home, which in the case of Panama, equates to more dollars being spent within Panama. Assuming Panama continues to promote safe and modern hospitals and clinics, they will continue to be one of the top destinations for medical tourism.

source:

Top 5 Medical Tourism Destinations (NuWireInvestor.com)

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