The Panama municipalities have never had any tourism management structure. Some of them only had Tourism Commissions, and if those dealt with the sector related issues – there were no policies and specific budgets for planning, their own promotional actions and coordination between regions, neither any systematic follow-ups on the barely produced initiatives.

However, both the municipalities and the Panama Tourism Institute shared an increasing interest in getting organized for the tourism management.

As a priority, it was proposed that the municipalities foment the local tourism development in the same line with the IPAT policy and strategies, diversifying and developing complementary activities.

THR will assist in the organization of the 13 participating municipalities and will make all the actors from the sector get involved actively in the project, assuming the necessary responsibility.

THR established programs for reformulation and institutional and administrative consolidation, as well as the strengthening and adaptation activities for regulations and specific institutional frames, establishment of accountancy firms, rules and systems of coordination and interaction between public and private sectors, with the community and with the Panama Tourism Institute.

Creation of a specific fund was recommended. It would be directed to the tourism development of the municipalities, their operative structures, information and communication systems, marketing and promotional plans and training programs for Human Resources.

The Tourism Municipalities Legislation THR proposed, will be discussed at the Legislative Assembly to provide competence to the municipalities and tourism management tools at local level.