The latest issue of the Focus on Panama guide has arrived and is being distributed to the main hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and tourist destinations throughout Panama.

This issue of Focus covers the "explosion" of small hotels and boutique hotels throughout the country.

Another topic of interest is the country's real estate boom, which continues to attract European and North American expats with exclusive residencial developments in beach and mountain areas and high-rise apartment buildings in Panama City.

With 36 years in the market, "Focus" is the pioneer of tourist publications in Panama. This edition is thicker than ever, with 184 full-color pages, offering comprehensive lists on shopping, dining and tourist destinations, as well as articles on the country's regions, hotels, night life, and tour companies.

Published twice a year in separate English and Spanish versions, "Focus" has a print run of 90,000 by far the highest circulation of any type of publication in Panama. It is distributed at major international tourism fairs and at Panamanian embassies and consulates abroad as well as its distribution in Panama.

Mr. Fung (left) is sworn in as president of the Chiriquí Chamber of Tourism.

A year and-a-half has passed since Wee-Mingh Fung accepted the invitation made by the Chiriquí Chamber of Commerce to create a Chamber of Tourism for the province. A young, U.S.-educated businessman, Fung took the oath of office during a gala ceremony in David in May of last year, restoring a similar, but unsuccessful project started in the late 1990's.

Mr. Fung faces a difficult task. He has few resources and has had to struggle against the common perception within the industry that local tourism chambers are short-lived and often inoperative ventures.

His first achievement is a substantial improvement in security around the province's tourist venues, including downtown David.

"We had a wave of robberies against tourists and hotels in the city soon after my administration started –a strange rash in this part of the country. We immediately joined forces with local law enforcement institutions and within a matter of days, we were able to capture the thieves, but continue to reinforce security measures for our visitors," he said.

Mr. Fung has fostered ties with Costa Rica, Panama's neighbor to the west, through a number of joint programs with the chamber of tourism of the Ossa Peninsula region, in southern Costa Rica.

"More and more tourists are vising the border provinces of Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro overland. Approximately 80,000 people crossed the Paso Canoas check point last year, but visitors face tedious and lengthy procedures. We are seeking a bilateral agreement between the government of both countries that would unify working hours on both sides of the border, issue tourist cards for overland visitors and allow the passage of rented vehicles between both countries," he expressed.

Mr. Fung and the Chiriquí Chamber of Tourism are also working on the new urban masterplan for the city of David, which seeks to make Panama's third largest city more visitor-friendly, enbellishing parks, establishing tourist information facilities and organizing cultural activities.

The next few months will be busy for the Chamber, which is organizing "Expoturismo", a tourism and real estate fair, the "Miss Tourism" pageant and the province's first international marathon.

The U.S.-based Hampton Inn chain, is looking to expand its network in Central and South America and Panama may well be a part of these plans, according to Rubén Luna, a representative of the chain, who visited the recent Travel Mart tourism fair in Panama City. The fair was the first time the Hampton Inn namebrand has participated in an international trade fair in Panama.

"Panama is a very interesting location. It could be an excellent base from which we could strengthen our presence in the region," said Luna.

Founded in the mid-1980's, the Hampton Inn name is strong in North America and Mexico, but has a number of properties south of the Rio Grande. It has gained popularity thanks to its excellent benefit programs for guests.

Mr. Rubén Luna, during an interview with The Visitor.

This is what your country home could look like.

The wave of residential projects targeted at expats has now reached the central provinces in the form of a small-farm development called La Pintada Estate. Mr. Pedro Sarasqueta, who headed the successful promotion of Altos del María gated community for a number of years, is now in charge of Panama Realty Corp. –the developer of La Pintada Estate.

Located in the province of Coclé, only two hours west of Panama City, La Pintada Estates gives potential second-home buyers the opportunity of developing their own farm on two-acre ranch lots, large enough to raise a couple of horses or cows, plant fruit trees and build a country home with a view of the verdant, mountains of the Continental Divide.

Only 150 lots are available in the project, which is bordered by the Coclé and Pagua rivers.

The project gets its name from the tiny town of La Pintada, known throughout Panama for the famous hats worn by country folk and folklore dancers: the "sombrero montuno."

Properties at La Pintada Estate feature high-speed internet access, conventional and satellite phone systems, electricity and water supplies. It is only 20 minutes from Penonomé, the small, but active provincial capital of Coclé, which features hospitals, restaurants, well-stocked shopping centers and banks. The area is also close to the Pacific beaches region.

For more information, call (507) 213-2520, 6672-7911, or e-mail to: pedro@panamarealtycorp.com

The Muller collection includes over 1,000 historical fotographs of Panama.

Panama's Interoceanic Canal Museum is celebrating its ninth anniversary this month with two new additions. British collectionist Charles Muller recently donated over 1,000 late 19th and early 20th-century post cards and books on Panama, with themes ranging from the construction of the Canal to prominent personalities, festive events and historical scenes.

The second addition is the permanent American exhibit, which features artifacts and documents encompassing the period of the U.S. administration of the Canal Zone (1904-1979) –a turbulent, but fascinating period in which two separate jurisdictions coexisted and interacted in Panama despite their great political and cultural differences.

Opened in 1997, the museum is housed in a historic building in San Felipe. Constructed in the 1870's, the building served as a high-end French hotel until the builders of the French canal project transformed it into their headquarters. The Americans also used it as headquarters until it was handed over to the government of Panama. For most of the 20th century, it served as the main offices of the country's mail and telegraph service.

For more information, call: 211-1995.

A pavillion dedicated to Balboa High School, at the museum's American Exhibit.

Old Canal Zone stamps.

Early 20th century books on Panama.