Panama is rapidly entering the meetings market with the new Amador Convention Center opening in Panama City and other regional convention centers on the docket for Boquete and Chitre.
Scheduled to open at the end of next year, the 625,000-sf Amador Convention Center highlights the best of Panama City, touting views of the skyline, Bridge of the Americas and Panama Canal. It will feature three halls for conventions and exhibits as well as a 63,000-sf theater and 138,000-sf amphitheater. A central atrium, built to connect the two main wings of the convention center, will provide pre-function and reception space.
The convention will stand as the focus of a $193 million development in the city’s Amador Causeway, a boardwalk that separates the famous canal from the Pacific Ocean. Nearby attractions include the Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo and Punta Culebra Nature Preserve, while an entertainment district adjacent to the convention center is also currently under construction. Cruising groups will be happy to note that long-term plans for the area include the creation of a new cruise ship port at the southern end of the causeway.
Also in the planning phase is the 43,000-sf Verde Convention Center in Boquete, which will feature a sustainable design. A 54,000-sf convention center being built in Chitre will feature a 16,000-sf amphitheater and an auditorium for up to 750 attendees. Both projects have yet to set an official completion date.
“For more than a century, Panama has been the Hub of the Americas, and is the place where international commerce comes together,” says Gustavo Him, minister of the Panama Tourism Authority. “With our new convention centers, modern hotels, historic attractions and convenient air service, Panama is poised to become the destination of choice for international meetings and conventions.
