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| CATEDRAL. CATHEDRAL. El Casco Antiguo es uno de los sitios más visitados por los turistas que llegan a Panamá. The Old Town is one of the most visited by tourists coming to Panama. LA PRENSA/Eric Batista 1500091 PRESS / Eric Batista 1500091 |
(prensa.com) The revenue that hotels and restaurants had between January and September last year reached 650.6 million dollars, according to the latest report published by the Comptroller General of the Republic. This represented an increase of $ 38 million or 6.2% over the same period in 2009. The bulk of sales are what this business district located between Panama and San Miguelito, with $ 545 million recorded in the period, 5.6% more than in the previous year.
But statistics show that in the rest of the country’s revenue from hotels and restaurants had a higher growth. Gross proceeds of them were $ 105 million, 9.2% more than in 2009.
Rino Tamburelli, the Restaurant Association of Panama, described 2010 as “good” and said the water crisis late last year did not have a marked effect on the activity.
He noted that the market has a significant growth in both local consumers as foreigners.
Although no official figures, it was expected that 2010 closed with the arrival of one million 700 thousand tourists, about 200 thousand more than in 2009, when they entered one million 500 thousand visitors.
Even estimated local customers represent 60% of the market and the other 40% foreigners, in the case of restaurants.
In total, hotels and restaurants generate about 25 thousand 903 jobs, and that between January and September last year in wages were $ 136 million.
This amount is 12.5% higher earnings in the same period last year.
Investment and employment
5,700 – hotel rooms are built in the capital.
20 – rise hotels in the province of Panama.
1.7 – million tourists were expected that would enter Panama in 2010.
74% – is the occupancy level recorded over 10 hotel rooms last year.