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Panama
Surpasses
Costa
Rica
In
Tourism
Growth
Panama
as a
tourist
destination
has
surpassed
Costa
Rica,
its
largest
competitor
in
the
region
in
terms
of
percentage
growth
of
tourism
and
is
almost
neck
and
neck
in
terms
of
numbers.
In
the
third
quarter
of
this
year
the
Costa
Rican
tourism
authorities
reported
a 4%
decrease
in
visitor
arrivals,
while
Panama
recorded
an
an
increase
of
11%
says
La
Prensa
in
that
country.
Costa
Rica
attributes
the
decline
to
the
international
crisis,
but
tourism
publications
also
refer
to
the
good
results
from
international
promotion.
The
decline
is
due
to
the
fact
that
the
"neighbor
to
the
south
(Panama)
has
made
an
effective
media
blitz
and
public
relations
strategy
in
international
markets,"
which
has
made
drawn
tourists
to
Panama.
Statistics
of
the
Central
American
Tourism
Council
show
that
between
2006
and
2010,
tourist
arrivals
grew
43%
in
Panama,
while
Costa
Rica
reported
an
increase
of
20%.
For
Juan
Carlos
de
Bourbon,
director
general
of
the
Instituto
Costarrisence
de
Turismo
(ICT)
-
Costa
Rican
Tourism
Institute,
Panama
is
doing
a
good
job
in
tourism.
During
the
country's
participation
in
the
Travel
Market,
Bourbon
said
that
he
analyzed
some
marketing
strategies
in
place
by
Panama,
such
as
free
insurance
for
tourists.
This
year
the
ICT
expects
tourists
visits
of
2.2
million,
while
in
Panama
is
estimated
over
2
million
visitors.
Solomon
Shamah,
administrator
of
the
Panama
Tourism
Authority,
said
the
us$600,000
that
was
invested
in
marketing
studies
have
identified
the
tourist
preferences
in
major
markets
like
the
U.S.,
Europe
and
South
America.
Tour
operators
say
it
is
necessary
to
attract
more
visitors
to
buy
vacation
packages
that
include
tours
of
the
interior.
In
Costa
Rica
visitors
buy
packages
that
include
tours
of
the
mountains
and
beaches,
which
has
a
greater
impact
in
communities
outside
the
capital
of
San
José.
Many
tourists
visiting
San
José
complain
of
the
lack
of
real
tourist
activities,
for
after
visiting
the
museum,
the
national
theatre
and
walk
on
the
boulevard,
there
is
hardly
anything
to
do
in
the
afternoon
or
evening.
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