Panama welcomed 1.76 million international visitors between January and June 2026, an increase of 17.4% compared with the same period in 2025. The economic impact of tourism is estimated at nearly 3.5 billion dollars over the semester. These results do not depend on a single segment: hotels, international events and air connectivity are also progressing.
Hotels and events confirm the trend
This activity is directly reflected in hotels. The occupancy rate reached 67.6% in the first half of the year, up 14% year-on-year according to STR data shared by the Panama Tourism Authority.
Meetings tourism also posted strong figures. Between January and June, the country hosted 74 international events, bringing together more than 113,900 participants. They accounted for 48,000 occupied rooms and an economic impact estimated at 91.5 million USD. For the whole of 2026, 110 international events have already been confirmed.
The first half of the year therefore shows more evenly distributed growth, between individual tourism, MICE and urban stays.
Connectivity as an advantage, not an end in itself
Tocumen International Airport remains, of course, one of the country’s major assets. It recorded 11.53 million passengers in the first half of the year, 15% more than a year earlier. In June, 76% of traffic consisted of connecting passengers.
The challenge is precisely to convert part of this traffic into visits. Panama Stopover, developed by Copa Airlines with the ATP and PROMTUR Panamá, exceeded 132,000 participants in the first half of the year, up 38%. The recent extension of the possible stay, from 7 to 15 days at no additional cost on the airline ticket, also changes the scale of the program. This is no longer only a short stop between two flights, but enough time to really discover the destination.
The figures for the semester mainly show that Panama is attracting more visitors, filling its hotels more effectively and consolidating its events activity. Connectivity remains a decisive advantage, but it now supports broader tourism growth.
Photos: Tocumen Airport | Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá | DR
