Orillac highlighted that famous tourist destinations in the world are being affected due to the severe economic crisis. However, Panama stands out among those destinations, as many European tourists are becoming interested in visiting in Panama, which is a not a well-known destination. According to Orillac, “The European tourists will continue going on vacations, and even though they will most likely opt to travel within the European continent, there is still a high percentage of tourists who are willing to make transatlantic flights.” From January through August of this year, the arrival of 88,482 European tourists in Panama had been reported, from which 21,000 were from Spain, 10,000 from Italian, and 7,686 from England.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Panama was recognized as the tourist destination of the year by Lufthansa City Center, a travel agency that categorizes the 500 most important worldwide travel agencies. This recognition has successfully driven Panama into the European market. Next week in Greece, during the Lufthansa City Center’s annual assembly, a Panamanian delegation will conduct a presentation about the tourist destinations and attraction in Panama. The European tourist’s arrival to Panama increased 11% during January and August. There are 12 weekly flights between Panama and Europe. Six public relations firms manage the Panama tourism in Europe.