AMCHAM Tourism Committee

Strategic Planning SessionSeptember 21, 2016

Tourism Committee 2016

“If you don’t try the impossible, you’ll never know what’s possible.”

AmCham Vision:

• To be the primary advocate,

educator and business catalyst for

bi-lateral commerce between the

United States and Panama.

Our Core Values:

• Democracy

• Interdependence

• Free Enterprise

• Free Trade

• Social Responsibility

• Ethics

• Transparency

AmCham Mission:

• To promote trade, commerce and investment between the United States and the

Republic of Panama.

• To promote and protect free enterprise and trade promotion agreements.

• To collaborate with both the U.S. Government and the Government of Panama to

promote and protect the business interests of our members.

• To encourage the maintenance of high standards of ethics in bi-lateral business

relations.

• To encourage AmCham members to become socially responsible corporate

citizens and active stakeholders in the social and economic development of

Panama.

• To maintain relations with organizations with similar objectives, such as the

Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce.

• To be an educator and a primary source of information of economic and trade

developments in both countries.

Objectives:

• To ensure the U.S.- Panama Free Trade Agreement ratified on October 12, 2011

goes through the implementation process quickly and is put into force.

• To help members take advantage of trade liberalization and new economic

opportunities through education and promotion efforts.

• To promote members’ business interests and create synergies to improve the flow of

international commerce between the U.S. and Panama, making the process of doing

business in Panama more efficient and cost effective.

• To foster innovation, harness creativity, and protect intellectual property (IP), as vital

to creating jobs, advancing economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to

business challenges.

• To communicate to the public ways in which U.S. business and AmCham Panama

member businesses are contributing to economic and social development in Panama.

• To create an investment climate that supports equality, economic growth, and shared

prosperity for both the citizens of Panama and the United States.

2016 Committee Goals

• Increase committee participation

• Promote in-country tourism for Panamanians

• Establish AMCHAM Tourism Committee as a major contributor

• Bring together the various tourism chambers in the city(CAMTUR, Camara Comercial de Panama, APATEL, APTSO, APEDE, Others?)

Turismo Verde Press Conference

Announcing the joint initiative between the Ministry of Tourism (ATP) and the Ministry of

Environment (ANAM) to promote and develop Eco Tourism in Panama

Minister Gustavo Him, Minister Mirei Endara, Annie Young

$5 million

Set aside by BID

to implement

this program

Tourism Forum 2016

• September 26th 11:30 am-6:00 pm

• Forum Subject: Eco Tourism

• Minister of ATP

• Minister of ANAM

• Simultaneous Translation: Spanish-English

• Keynote Speaker: Internationally Recognized Expert

Tourism Forum 2016

•Founded EcoCircuitos Panama, S.A. in 1999

•Degree in Social Communication with an emphasis in Journalism , University of Panama

•Diploma in Business Strategies for Environmental Sustainability, Stanford University

•Advanced studies-Environmental Management of International Tourism Development , Harvard University

•President of APTSO (Panamanian Foundation of Sustainable Tourism)

•Committed to the conservation and social development of Panama through the promotion of sustainable

tourism.

Annie Young

Tourism Forum 2016

• Holds a degree in Biology and specialized in Zoology, University of Panama.

• Holds a Master’s degree in Project Design and Evaluation, Universidad Católica Santa María la Antigua.

• He has worked for the private sector, as a biologist in the aquaculture field in both Costa Rica and Panama.

• He worked as an environmental consultant at the Oceanology Institute of the Universidad de Valparaíso and for maritime engineering companies in Chile and the USA.

• Founder and manager of an eco-tourism company in Panama

• Performed, for more than fifteen years, as a specialist in Environment and Natural Resources at the IDB

• Designs and supervises IDB projects within the environmental, natural resources and sustainable development sector.

Rodrigo Coloane

Tourism Forum 2016

•Former Vice-Chairman of the Board of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

•Author of several studies of ecotourism markets and the economics and financing of eco lodges.

•PhD in Economics from Yale

•Advanced Management Program (AMP), Harvard Business School

•Manager, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee

•Associate Director, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Washington, DC

•Provides specialized ecotourism-related business consulting services to government planners and private

developers.

•Prepares feasibility studies, market analyses, and financing proposals for ecotourism and conservation projects.

Dr. Ed Sanders - President EcoTourism International

Tourism Forum 2016

Adrian Benedetti

•President & Founder of Fundacion Caminando Panama

•Former ANAM Director of Protected Areas and Wildlife

•Former Director Summit Municipal Zoo & Botanical Garden

• MS in Conservation Leadership Through Learning

•Affiliate- Center for Protected Area Management, Colorado State University

•Biodiversity Conservation Committee Leader – World Trails Network

Tourism Forum 2016Forum Keynote Speaker:

Celine Cousteau

• Granddaughter of the legendary Jacques Yves Cousteau

• Daughter of Jean Michel Cousteau

• Holds a Masters in International and Intercultural Management

• Filmmaker: Over 18 documentaries as presenter and field producer

• Founder and President of the Celine Cousteau Film Fellowship

• Member of the World Economic Forum Council on Oceans

• Board of The Himalayan Consensus

• Board of Marine Construction Technologies

• Board of Advisors for Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation

• Socio-Environmental Advocate

Tentative Agenda

We met with

Rodrigo Colane

specialist in

Environment and Natural Resources

Regarding the joint project for Sustainable Tourism driven by CAF, APTSO, Mi Ambiente & ATP

We had two

very positive

meetings with

members of the

Board of Directors.

We were invited to be

the opening day

event followed by

their two day

congress.

APATEL Congreso 2016

We have attended two

successful

meetings with

Ministra Mirei Endara and

Dra. Indra Candanedo

We have a meeting

pending

with

Minister Gustavo Him

1st Annual CONATUR Conference

CAMTURIncubated at AMCHAM

Meeting pending with President Alfaro

CAMTUR Members

Other Major Chambers with

Tourism Committees

2017 Projections

International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017

Australia, Austria, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Fiji, Georgia, Greece,

Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall

Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Morocco, Nauru, New Zealand,

Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Samoa,

Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Saint Kitts and Nevis,

Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu and Vanuatu

Potential Plans for 2017

1. Host the Eco Tourism Forum September 25, 2017 as the opening day

of a 3-5 day tourism event in conjunction with APATEL

2. “Discover Panama First” weekend events for AMCHAM members?

3. Research the option to hold virtual committee meetings?

4. Research the option to hold classes with tourism content to enhance skills?

AMCHAM Tourism Committee Wants You

Committee Strategic Planning

1. How can the committee give value to your being a member?

2. What would compel you to attend meetings?

3. What prevents you from participating?

4. What subject matter would you like to see at meetings?

5. Would continuing education be of interest?

6. This is your meeting. We need your input, ideas, critiques.

Starting Tuesday, September 27th!

Details at www.apatelpanama.com