AMP threatens the operation of the Port for cruise ships

Delay in completion Amador Cruise Port, as well as its use as a shipyard for repairing ships, threaten the arrival of a large number of tourists to Panama.

At the beginning of this year, the Panamanian authorities promised that before the start of the 2023-2024 cruise season, i.e. in September last year,Amador Cruise Port was supposed to be 100% ready to receive tourists, something that did not happen.

Maru Gálvez, business woman connected to the tourism sectorhe stated that last year, when the cruise ship season began, tourism unions and chambers of Panama expressed concern and saw that the port was not ready to receive tourists.

This is why last year there were many incidents with tourists, because the port was not ready for customs and immigration procedures, so they had to use Congress Center Amador.

Faced with this, several statements, opinions and the former manager were given Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), Iván Eskilssenhe promised that this infrastructure will be ready in September this year.

“We’re almost in November and that hasn’t happened yet, according to the Maritime Authority of Panama (AMP), they were thinking about delivering the ship Amador Cruise Port for December this year. But this is something that is not certain,” said the entrepreneur from the tourism sector.

Gálvez confirmed that the incompleteness of this structure is not just talk This jeopardizes the quality of experience that cruise ship passengers arriving in Panama already have, but it also jeopardizes the continuity of these cruise lines’ operations.

He says this because If cruise lines see that this port is not ready, they will not dare to promote the route in the following years.

“Cruisers are a segment that is sold two or three years in advance, and they need to know that the port is ready, so that they can start promoting routes for 2025, 2026 and later.”He said.

Gálvez pointed out that this delay jeopardizes the continuity and sustainability of the possibility of obtaining more routes. some may even work year-round, not just from October to March as it is now.

“What we would like as a private sector is to have year-round routes, like other cruise ports in the area, like Puerto Rico, which has the same type of climate as Panama, something that could be used to sell year-round routes.”argument.

Concern over the fact The fact that the port will not be finished in December is also latent.

“We are very concerned and we ask the authorities to fulfill what they promised. We hope that the port will be completed in December, because we are threatening a segment of the market that greatly helped the records and tourist numbers we had at the beginning of the first quarter of this year”he expressed.

Gálvez explained that both the Panamanian hotel industry and the rest of the tourism sector benefited from these arriving tourists, because when a cruise ship passenger arrives to leave Panamaaffects the country’s economy.

Also look with concern that the port is used for ship repair.

“That port should only be used for cruise ships, because that’s why it was invested in, that’s why it was built, and not to become a port for a shipyard or for repairing ships, that’s why we need and demand that the work be officially handed over 100%”he pointed out.

For her part, entrepreneur Úrsula kienerhe wondered if the entire tourism infrastructure in Panama was completed or not with changes that benefited nothing.

As was the case with Tocumen Airport Terminal 2, Cruise Port and Amador Convention Centerhe emphasized.

“We have so much unfinished business that it shows that there is no interest in the tourism sector, which, when managed well, generates more millions of dollars than other sectors of the economy.”he noted.