A Panamanian delegation of hoteliers, tour operators and staff members of the Panama Government Tourist Bureau (IPAT) recently promoted the country’s tourist attractions in the Colombian cities of Cartagena, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali and Medellín.

The activity included a number of meetings and seminars between Panamanian and Colombian businesspeople. Colombia is the second exporter of tourists to Panama after the United States-.

The Panamanian delegation was headed by Omar A. Ching, head of IPAT’s International Marketing Department; Elías Menacho –Manager of Copa Vacations and officials from Panama’s Embassy in Colombia.

During a recent gala dinner held at Club David, in the province of Chiriquí, Mr. Wee-Ming Fung was sworn in as the new president of the Chamber of Tourism of Chiriquí. Mr. Fong is the owner of Hotel Panama Rey, located in downtown David.

The event coincided with the inauguration of Expo Turismo de Chiriquí, a provincial tourism fair organized by local businesses and educational institutions.

The Panamanian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVIT) recently hosted the seminar entitled "Prize your client with quality", targeted at the industry’s customer service representatives and counter personnel. The activity was held May 25-26 at Panama City’s Hotel Continental and was organized by a number of local business advisory entities.

Copa Airlines, Panama’s private-owned national airline, recently launched its new service to the islands of San Andrés, Colombia. A second, daily flight to Bogota is also planned.

Founded in 1947, Copa Airlines currently flies to 32 destinations in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The company maintains a partnership with U.S. carrier Continental Airlines since 1997.