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Punta Pacifica Realty leaders are back from Panama Week Texas 2025, a business and investment conference in Houston spotlighting opportunities to grow ties between Texas and Panama.

PPR Managing Director Jeff Barton was a featured speaker at the event, focusing on prospects and trends in the real estate sector, one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. His presentation, “Discover Panama,” focused on the advantages of Panama as a destination for retirees, second residences, and investors. (Want to see the presentation? Click here.)

“The conference reinforced the importance of understanding Panama’s evolving role as a trade hub and the growing interest from U.S. entities in sectors like logistics, infrastructure, and energy,” Barton said.

The event was hosted by the U.S.-Panama Business Council (USPA) and attracted CEOs of major corporations and industry leaders. The diverse turnout also included such Panamanian government dignitaries as the ambassador to the U.S., the minister of energy, and the director of the Panama-David train project.

The USPA ranks Texas as the number one trade and investment partner for Panama, and Houston as the most important city. The “Texas Triangle” —including Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio —  is projected to grow from 19.6 million in 2022 to 100 million in 2100, making it the largest “megaregion” in the United States. Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin are projected to be the top three cities in population, with San Antonio at number 12, “ensuring Texas’s leadership in trade and business with the Americas,” the conference report noted.

Conference speakers emphasized that Panama is experiencing notable growth across several key sectors, including tourism, maritime, energy, real estate, and transportation. Barton was on hand to present his perspective as the managing partner of a firm with “a network of 60 real estate professionals, more than 400 properties and a net portfolio of $260 million.”

“The conference was a valuable platform to highlight the growing trade and investment opportunities between Panama and Texas, especially with Port Houston,” Barton said. “It provided attendees with a clear view of where commercial growth is taking place and connected them with key government and private sector figures who can help facilitate business development in Panama.”

The conference was organized by Juan B. Sosa, former Ambassador of Panama to the United States. He highlighted the many strategic partnerships between Texas and Panama, including the relationship between Bush Intercontinental Airport/United Airlines and Tocumen International Airport and Copa Airlines, partners in the highly successful ”Hub of the Americas.”

“Panama is increasingly positioning itself as a serious trade and investment partner for the United States, particularly in Texas,” Barton said.

“The conference emphasized the need to stay closely aligned with government-led initiatives and to engage early with institutional and regulatory stakeholders when exploring business in Panama.”