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In the News from Panama

Panama Named Top Travel Destination for 2019

International publications are jumping on the Panama bandwagon. In recently released picks for top travel destinations for 2019, Panama is prominently featured, led by a top ranking by the New York Times.

The Times listed Panama fourth out of 52 recommended destinations, citing the country’s growing ecotourism offerings and “hidden treasures,” such as the Gulf of Chiriqui. The Times specifically spotlighted Isla Palenque, which offers eight casitas and one villa on “a lush 400-acre island,” and Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge, which will open in January, as well as the Ritz Carlton Reserve under development on Pearl Island.

Respected travel guide Lonely Planet also listed Panama among its top travel destinations for the year, listing it fourth behind Sri Lanka, Germany, and Zimbabwe. “Darling Panama packs so many treasures into one small country – from white-sand beaches to tropical rainforests, misty highlands and indigenous culture – it is shocking that it’s somehow still under the radar,” Lonely Planet wrote.

Meanwhile, fashion magazine Vogue picked Panama as “the place to go” in 2019, noting the celebration of the country’s 500th birthday. “Panama takes its parties seriously, and 2019 could mark the country’s most evolved fiesta yet,” the magazine notes.

The magazine notes that Panama is changing and becoming a different type of destination. “Ancient walls, glassy skyscrapers, and a mix of African, Native Panamanian, and Spanish cultures have all played a part in forming the frenetic ‘Miami of Central America.’ The article says. “Lately, however, Panama has become more focused on preserving its treasures.”

To add to the accolades, the Smarter Travel site included Panama in its, “7 Destinations Worth Adding to Your Travel Bucket List in 2019.” “Panama may not be on your bucket list yet, but it should be,” the writer notes. “Its rich biodiversity, white-sand beaches, protected rainforests, and well-preserved cultures offer more than enough reasons to go.”

The rankings coincide nicely with a stepped-up campaign to promote Panama around the world.

“This sends us a clear message that all the international promotion carried out with the advertising campaign in the United States, Canada, and Europe, is beginning to pay off,” Gustavo Him, head of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP). Told El Capital Financiero. Among other praise, he noted that Panama is increasingly discussed as an ecological destination, one of the major message points of the recent campaigns.