In addition to implementing campaigns on social networks with the intention of gradually creating interest in national destinations, one of the concrete plans is to re-implement the free tourist insurance that was in place from 2011 to 2014.

This was indicated by Juan Manuel Henríquez, interim executive director of the Panama Tourism Promotion Fund (Promtur) and the administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Iván Eskildsen.

For each tourist and Panamanian resident abroad who entered through the Tocumen International Airport, paid $1.95. The policy offered free care for the first 30 days that the tourist remained in the country, as long as they were not under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.

Henríquez commented that tourism, like the rest of the activities, will not be the same after Covid-19 and noted that Panama, in addition to focusing on products such as nature and shopping, should also take advantage of its medical facilities to promote tourism health, as well as residential tourism.

"Panama should take advantage of all the references that have been made abroad about the handling that has been given to the pandemic in the country," said Henríquez, who is replacing Liriola Pittí, after she left office at the end of March citing personal reasons.

For his part, Eskildsen indicated that 17 measures are being worked on to support tourism to cope with the paralysis that the sector is facing due to the prohibition that exists on the entry of visitors.

Henríquez and Eskildsen participated on Saturday, May 2, in the fourth virtual conference held by the Chiriquí Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture and noted that before the crisis, the possibility of resuming medical coverage had been analyzed, but now those plans have accelerated.

In the first five years of executing such a measure, the ATP allocated more than $8 million to cover the policies requested by more than 6,000 visitors.

In 2014, with the entry of the government of Juan Carlos Varela, the coverage was eliminated under the argument that the funds would be used for other projects. In 2018 the ATP tried to resume insurance, but the Ministry of Economy and Finance did not process the request.

For each tourist and Panamanian resident abroad who entered through the Tocumen International Airport, the ATP pays $1.95.

Ernesto Orillac, president of the Panama Chamber of Tourism, and Armando Rodríguez, president of the Panamanian Hotel Association also participated in the conference. Orillac reiterated that the reopening of domestic tourism is the first step to revive this sector that generates, along with air transport, 14% of gross domestic product.

During his speech, Rodríguez commented that they continue to work at the tables set up by the Government to determine the way forward during and after Covid-19, and recommended establishing a gradual or gradual reopening of the sector, since the demand for visitors will be low during 2020 and 2021.

Panama in recent years has registered a decrease in the influx of tourists, with an average annual fall of 2.4%, which has prevented the country from reaching the target of 2.5 million visitors per year.