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Panama

The Art of Blending Luxury, Pleasure and Business

In 2009, the world’s top-10 nations in MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) travel were the U.S., Germany, Spain, Italy, UK, France, Brazil, Japan, China and Austria. In the city category, Buenos Aires finished eleventh, just another good sign of how much headway the region has made in this field.

A huge five-day convention with 3,000 attendees and average daily spending in the neighborhood of $150 apiece is a dream come true for any tourist location or management. If everything goes smoothly, there’ll be more. Perhaps in the case of a big city, there could be as many as 150 major events, a figure that will make planners and providers from around the world draw a bead on that spot and open the floodgates for revenue. Destinations with a larger international scope and better airlift take the cake, as well as those that feature cultural and architectural heritage, traditions and prestige in the planning of meetings. This marks the beginning of outstanding sustainable tourism management. Moreover, sound financial atmospheres and acceptable safety levels also do the trick. Technology has turned out to be a key player in business travel, especially the MICE segment (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions). Such traveler values time above all else: fast-paced and hassle-free arrangements, wideband, GPS service and solid support from their smartphones –guides, maps and traveler’s care- in order to move around a city or region… making the most of the experience and combining luxury, pleasure and business efficiently. Latin America and the Caribbean According to the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), 8,294 major events were held in the course of 2009, up 800 from 2008. The top three destinations were the U.S. (595 events), Germany (458) and Spain (360). The top three cities were Vienna (160 international congresses and conventions), Barcelona (135) and Paris (131). Other standouts were Singapore (119), Copenhagen (103), Stockholm (102), Amsterdam (98), Lisbon (98) and Beijing (96). Buenos Aires (90) finished eleventh on the list, yet other Latin American and Caribbean cities inched up notches from the previous yearend ranking.

Brazil With 293 international conventions held in 2009, this country is seventh in the ICCA ranking. Its eye-popping infrastructure continues to grow in the face of the World Soccer Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, with as many as $624 billion worth of investment in the offing. Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro are the locations of choice for MICE planners as two cities combined take up 60 percent of all events.

Argentina It ranks 19th in the ICCA. Buenos Aires is no doubt the star of the show, at number 11 on the world list and topping the Americas ranking in 2009 in terms of international event planning. This is a burg with over 80,000 guestrooms to offer and showbiz attractions. Last year alone, a grand total of seven new high-end hotels opened. When it comes to events, the city features such prestigious places as La Rural fairgrounds.

Colombia With one of the most dynamic economies of the Americas, ever-growing air connectivity and larger hotel investment –the nation’s capital will have 17,000 guestrooms by 2012, more than half (58 percent) in the upscale category– Colombia is fifth on the ICCA list of Latin American destinations, featuring great cities as Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena.

Panama With its symbolic and profitable Canal and the Colon Free Zone, the nation’s capital is a huge financial and corporative mesh interconnected by the Tocumen Airport, just another of the region’s major hubs. It’s home to the ATLAPA convention center -20 acres seating 10,500 people, two dozen meeting halls, theaters and auditoriums seating 2,806 people and a 34,445-square-foot exhibition pavilion. Moreover, there are plans in the works for a new 15,000-square-meter center featuring an avant-garde design. There’s a huge hotel investment process going on, both in resorts and urban lodgings. Westin will open a couple of establishments, while Hilton will scatter five hotels from now through 2013. A public investment of up to $13 billion will include the enhancement of the Panama Canal, the streamlining of existing airports, and the building of the capital’s subway and the Financial Tower, a 69-story structure that will rank as Latin America’s highest skyscraper by the year 2013.

Cuba With decades of experience under its belt in the planning of events and conventions, the island nation has built superb infrastructure that includes the International Conference Center in Havana and the Plaza America Convention Center in Varadero. In addition, there are over 180 hotels ranked as five- and four-star establishments. By 2011, the Cuba Convention Bureau hopes to bring in some 300 international events.