Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Las restricciones al ingreso de extranjeros y el cierre de los vuelos internacionales desde marzo pasado así como del comercio no esencial, como parte de las medidas para frenar la propagación de la COVID-19, llevó a los hoteles de Panamá a cerrar sus puertas

Pandemic hits tourism hard in Panama: 12 million dollars lost daily

The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Panama's tourism sector hard, which is registering losses of about 12 million dollars a day, the president of the National Chamber of Tourism (Camtur), Ernesto Orillac, told EFE on Tuesday.

It is calculated that we may be losing around 12 million a day, said Orillac, who also indicated that before COVID-19, tourism contributed $4 billion of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The pandemic of the new coronavirus came to give another blow to a sector that has been immersed in a crisis for years, which is reflected in events such as low hotel occupancy, just 39% in the first quarter of this 2020 according to the union, and a fall average of 3% per year in visitor entries since 2015.

Restrictions on the entry of foreigners and the closure of international flights since last March, as well as non-essential trade, as part of the measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, led Panama hotels to close their doors.

According to Orillac there are 60,000 suspended contracts in the hotel sector, which is one of the most affected sector, if not the most, with travel agencies, tour operators, convention organizers and hotels being the worst hit segments.

The Panama Chamber of Tourism estimates that the recovery of the sector, at least to pre-pandemic levels, will take at least two years, and that it will take about $120 million to start to organize its reopening.

HOTELIERS ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY DEBT TO HOTEL-HOSPITALS

Amid the pandemic, the hotel sector and the Government chaired by Laurentino Cortizo reached an agreement for 14 hotels, representing 2,000 rooms, to function as hospitals to isolate COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms.

The Executive has not paid the 'millionaire' amount of renting rooms with a flexible rate of $15 a day, the president of the Panamanian Hotel Association (Apatel), Armado Rodríguez, told EFE.

We know that they are bureaucratic procedures and we want to continue supporting, but we need (the government) to handle the payment of the 3 months, an amount that was not specified by Rodríguez to EFE.

According to data released Monday by the Ministry of Health, there are 676 isolated COVID-19 patients in hospital hotels in Panama.

ECONOMIC REOPENING

In the framework of the pandemic, the hotel sector loses about $40 million a month and has suspended 37,000 contracts, according to the union's data.

Rodríguez asked the Government to specify the dates, on which they can reopen to reorganize the reactivation, which the Government has already ruled will in principle be limited to 25% of the hotels' capacity.

Panama divided the reopening of the economy into six blocks and tourism is in the fourth. The first two segments opened in mid-May and last June 1, but the process is suspended due to the strong rebound in COVID-19 cases in the country.

Panama already has 39,334 confirmed infections and 770 deaths in 120 days of the pandemic, which is in phase 4 or high community transmission, with the prospect that the most difficult is yet to come as the authorities themselves have warned.

The Apatel president admitted that the recovery 'will be slow' but the consequences 'will be worse the longer the delay' of the economic reopening.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
×