Panama hotel occupancy increases, but smaller hotels suffering

But small hotels in the interior have not been so fortunate. Hotels with less than 50 rooms in the interior posted a decline for the same period, and the Association of Small Hotels of Panama, said occupancy rates for its members was less than 50 percent.

The group represents 59 hotels with a total of 600 rooms. President José Thomas said the group will be working with the Panama Tourism Authority to design a strategy to raise the occupancy rates of hotels in the interior of the country. He said the focus of this effort will be on ecological and beach tourism.