View of Contadora Island, in Las Perlas Archipielago.

It seems the Pearl Islands, located in the middle of the Gulf of Panama, on the Pacific coast of the isthmus, are becoming popular film locations nowadays. It was recently announced that STRIX Television, a European network, will start the production of a reality show on June 6. Filming is scheduled to end on July 31. The hour-long show will feature contestants from Belgium, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey and the Czech Republic. The program will expose the beauty of these Panamanian islands to approximately 8 million TV viewers throughout the Old Continent.

The reality show will feature the same format as the U.S. "Survivor", which produced a very successful series in Panama two years ago. Officials from the Panama Government Tourist Bureau (IPAT) have stated the show will have an excellent potential as a promotional tool of the country's tourist attributes in Europe –a part of the world in which Panama is virtually unknown as a leisure destination, a fact partly due to the lack of marketing campaigns in the region.

The number of foreign-produced cinema films and TV documentaries including Panamanian locations has increased in recent years. In the late 1990's, a number of Panama City locations were filmed in the movie The Tailor of Panama, based on a John De Carré novel.

Mr. Carl-Fredrik Nordstrom, Deputy Manager of Panama's Tourist Board (third from left), explains the promotional benefits of the TV show during a recent press conference.

Scene of the projects's ground breaking. From left to right, Jonathan Mizrachi, Roberto Roy, and Isaac MIzrachi.

PROCASA, a prestigious Panama City real estate development firm, recently inaugurated the Design and Sales Center and the model apartment of the Destiny Panama Bay apartment tower, which is currently under construction on Avenida Balboa and Calle Ecuador.

Prominent personalities of the country’s business and entertainment circles were present at the event, which was co-organized by Summit Golf & Resort (a sports and leisure facility located on the banks of the Panama Canal), Porsche and Kenneth Cole.

The new Design and Sales Center will assist the new residents of "Destiny" in the internal décor of their luxury apartments, which features imported wood and marble trimmings, Italian kitchen amenities and major home appliances.

Destiny Panama Bay is one of the residential complexes designed by PROCASA to cater to the growing number of expats and second home buyers in the Panama City area. Featuring 51 stories, all of the building’s apartments will offer panoramic views of the city’s bayfront and skyline, in addition to three entertainment and fitness facilities on three levels including squash courts, swimming pool and totally-equipped gyms.

For more information, 1-866-252-1661 or www.destinypanamabay.com

From left to right, Jonathan Mizrachi; Isaac Mizrachi, Roberto Roy and Elías Mizrachi.

The German-Panamanian reforestation and service company Futuro Forestal has won Metafore’s first annual innovation Award 2006. It was presented to General Managers Iliana Armien and Andreas Eke at the Awards ceremony on May 5th during Metafore’s Forest Leadership Forum. The Awards recognizes product and service innovations that demonstrate improved environmental, social and financial results. Metafore collaborates with leaders in business and society including USAID, WWF, and Bank of America, among others.

Futuro Forestal won the Grand Prize in the Service Category for WoodStockInvest, the company’s forest investment product which enables international investors to own a forest with secure title, invest in a high-yield product and contribute to social and ecological development.

About Futuro Forestal
Futuro Forestal offers its worldwide investors a unique opportunity to own a forest, to invest in a high yield product and to help improve ecological and social development. The company offers a portfolio of seven different species of fine tropical timber, apart from Teak (Tectona grandis) all native species: Amarillo (Terminalia amazónia), Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Spine Cedar (Bomba-copsis quinatum), Zapatero (Hyeronima alchorneoides), Almendro (Dipterix panamensis) and Rosewood.