The Panamanian Hotel Association (APATEL) expressed its rejection this Tuesday of Bill No. 131, which proposes the creation of a $10 fee for connecting passengers at Tocumen International Airport.
The association warned that this initiative, called the "Transit Airport Facilities Usage Fee" (TUIAT), would generate adverse effects on air competitiveness and the overall performance of Panama's tourism sector. In an official statement, APATEL expressed its deep concern, considering that the measure uses a strategic sector as a source of revenue for purposes unrelated to its sustainability.
According to data presented by the association, over 60% of passengers transiting through Tocumen are in transit. The association emphasized that cost is a determining factor for airlines, and an increase could reduce competitiveness against regional hubs like Bogotá, Lima, and San Salvador, incentivizing the reconfiguration of routes to destinations with lower operational costs.
Furthermore, APATEL warned that the measure could have an inverse economic effect. For the association, taxing transit without a comprehensive assessment sends a signal of legal and economic instability to international investors and airlines. The association called on the National Assembly of Panama to reconsider Bill No. 131 and protect Panama's position as one of the main connection centers in America.
