Panama Hosts 5th Leadership Summit
More than 400 executives and business leaders from across Latin America will meet in Panama City on September 10 for the fifth International Leadership Summit. Artificial intelligence will dominate the agenda, but the wider story is Panama’s growing ability to turn international conferences into tourism, hotel stays and regional business activity.
The four-hour event at the Panama Convention Center will examine how companies can incorporate AI into their operations without neglecting leadership, culture and talent development. Speakers include Patrick Leddin, Ryan McInerney and Alan Fine, whose sessions will cover disruption, organizational transformation and employee performance. Greatness Center, the organizer, cites research showing that only 14% of employees have received AI training, while 70% believe the technology is advancing faster than their organization’s culture can adapt.
The summit is now in its fifth year. The previous edition took place on September 4, 2025, at the Hotel Bristol, where Stephen M. R. Covey and Victoria Roos-Olsson focused on leadership during periods of uncertainty. Moving this year’s event to the Panama Convention Center gives it a more explicitly regional format and space for a larger audience.
Its arrival also fits into a much larger meetings economy. Panama attracted more than 100 incentivized international events in 2025, representing an estimated 50,000 international participants and 310,000 hotel room nights. The Tourism Authority reported a return of roughly US$50 for every dollar invested in attracting those meetings.
For 2026, Panama has reported 86 confirmed and incentivized events, with more than 58,000 visitors projected.That figure covers the full-year pipeline, including events already held and those scheduled for the remaining months, rather than 86 events still to come. Major gatherings on the calendar include World of Coffee and the ICCA World Congress, alongside medical, scientific, business and professional congresses.
The timing is favorable. International arrivals increased 16.4% during the first four months of 2026, while tourism receipts reached US$2.64 billion, up 15% from the same period a year earlier. Hotel occupancy was estimated at 66% in April. International events strengthen that performance by bringing visitors who pay for accommodation, restaurants, transportation and corporate services, often outside the traditional leisure calendar.
A 400-person leadership summit will not transform the economy by itself. Its value comes from being part of a consistent calendar of events that keeps convention facilities active, fills hotel rooms and exposes international decision-makers to Panama as a place to meet, invest and operate.
The subject of this year’s summit also matters. Panama’s economy depends heavily on services, logistics, finance and regional headquarters. Companies in those sectors are already dealing with AI-driven changes in productivity, customer service and employment. The relevant question is no longer whether businesses will adopt the technology, but whether their leadership and workforce can adapt quickly enough to use it well.
Panama’s advantage as an events destination has always been its connectivity. The more important shift is that the country is beginning to convert that connectivity into a measurable meetings economy rather than simply serving as a place where travelers change planes.
5 Things to Know
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The summit takes place on September 10. More than 400 regional executives are expected at the Panama Convention Center.
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This is the fifth edition. The previous summit was held on September 4, 2025, at the Hotel Bristol.
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Panama attracted more than 100 international events in 2025. They represented about 50,000 international participants and 310,000 hotel room nights.
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The 2026 pipeline includes 86 confirmed events. Together, they are expected to bring more than 58,000 visitors during the year.
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Tourism is already growing strongly. International arrivals rose 16.4% through April 2026, while tourism receipts reached US$2.64 billion.
