Gloria de León, Administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), expressed her concern this Friday over a bill draft presented by Benicio Robinson, a deputy from the Democratic Revolutionary Party. The proposal suggests creating a $10 fee for the use of airport transit facilities. De León stated that this initiative would reduce the country's competitiveness as a destination and regional hub. "The private sector, the Panamanian Association of Hotels, the Chamber of Tourism, and even journalists have expressed their views on this initiative," she said. She emphasized that Panama should focus on its international positioning instead of implementing measures that could hinder it. This would be a significant disadvantage for Panama. She mentioned that projections indicate the airport could reach 30 million passengers by 2030, provided favorable conditions for the sector are maintained. José Ruiz, General Manager of Tocumen International Airport, emphasized that this is a very serious and dangerous issue for the country. "It would affect our competitiveness." If such a measure is implemented, "the airport will not grow, which will directly impact the country," he added, especially now as the airport is making significant investments in expansion. The bill, if approved in its third debate and sanctioned by President José Raúl Mulino, could generate an estimated annual revenue of $114 million. "We are starting to position ourselves and are on the right track... Why take away this competitiveness? Our focus should be on finding initiatives that help us attract more airlines, increase our connectivity, and transform these into more visitors to the country," she stated to Telemetro Reporta.
