Panama Tourism Gurus Should Listen To My Dad Article

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Panama Tourism Gurus Should Listen To My Dad

How my father's annoying advice from my childhood could guide Panama's tourism sector to sustainable success.

Author: Casey Halloran

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Nobody likes to be told to make their bed, sit up straight or chew their food thoroughly as a kid. But as one ages, it’s hard to argue with the basic wisdom that most parents passed on to us as children, no matter how annoying or non-stop it may have seemed at the time.

The more studies I read, "gurus" of sustainable tourism I've spoken with and first-hand experience I obtain in the industry, the more I am convinced that the very same principles parents attempt to impart on their children should be used to guide budding tourism destinations. Here are just a few of the personal values that I think Panama needs to embrace in order to achieve sustainable tourism success.

1. Be Yourself

The world is running out of uniqueness. “Sameness” is everywhere, whether it’s Hollywood’s obsession with sequels, suburban developer’s propensity for blandness or multinational retailers littering strip malls with ubiquitous and terribly familiar glowing signs. In the world of tourism and travel, destinations that are truly authentic and unique are in short supply. How many times has your favorite little unknown getaway been discovered, flooded and consequently ruined by the masses?

When will governments, tourism professionals and people in general learn…you need to be yourself? As the world continues to shrink in this Internet age, it becomes imperative for destinations to maintain a sense of identity. After all, going to somewhere that’s “not home” is precisely why we travel…to experience something new, to learn a tradition a story, to try a flavor or hear a tune that’s foreign to us. Remove the newness and what’s the point? In this Internet age, the words “tourist trap” travel faster than ever, so any destination that loses its sense of self in favor of safe, predictable and boring are on the fast-track to nowhere.

Anti-Role Models: Cancun, Daytona, Negril (Jamaica)
Role Models: New York, Paris, San Sebastian (Spain)

2. Be Honest

One thing nobody likes is being tricked. In tourism, it can be the kiss of death. When you travel to the North Shore of Hawaii, you expect waves, in Las Vegas, 24 hour stimulation, in Costa Rica, wildlife and friendly people. But if you expect one thing, from marketing, rumor and web chatter and receive another…you’re inevitably far more disappointed than if you’d had no expectations at all. That’s why it is essential that governments and tourism industry professionals have a clear concept for “the brand” they are pitching and do their best to under promise and over deliver. It takes years to build a reputation as a great destination and only a few negative reviews or headlines to ruin it.

And on a more basic level of honest, if there’s anything that really, really fires up a tourist, it’s being abused for being one. Double standards for pricing, taxi drivers who instinctively haul you straight to an overpriced restaurant or small-time con artists who prey on tourists cannot be tolerated.

Anti-Role Models: Mexico, Morocco
Role Models: Ireland, Holland

3. Make a Plan (and stick to it!)

Sustainable tourism is a buzz word these days and for good reason; we seem to be doomed to repeat the same mistakes in tourism development. The pattern is well-known:

1. Adventurous traveler finds a great new spot, tells some friends
2. Eventually the spot becomes popular, investment and development follows
3. Locals move to the area to service the tourism
4. Prices rise, locals can’t afford to live there and maintain cultural identity
5. Overdevelopment ensues, uniqueness fades
6. New waves of more “touristy” tourists arrive, spend less
7. Prices drop, infrastructure suffers
8. Tourism numbers fall, the destination becomes less attractive
9. Locals are not happy with tourists

Sound familiar?

How can we stop this vicious circle of tourism gone bad? Well, it starts with a long-term plan. That means some government regulations on what can be built, with what cultural how quickly and perhaps some aesthetic continuity. The local population also needs to be educated on how to steward the land, pass on traditions and culture that will sustain the uniqueness referred to above. Most importantly, is the plan sustainable over the long-haul? If not, make a new plan.

4. Work Hard

Tourists come on holidays. Tourists expect service 24/7. They don’t care if you’ve always taken a week off for Carnavales in the past. If you want tourists, some work habits will need to change, starting with the basic concepts required to deliver great service. For example:

a. Smile
b. Soy “hello”, “please” and “thank you”
c. Solve problems, find solutions (modified version of “customer is always right)
d. Even when the customer is disagreeable, take the high road

Right now, there are waaaay too many public holidays in Panama during peak tourism months. Might not be popular, but very simply…that will need to change. Tourists want to come to Panama and drop cash from November to March, the typical high season of any warm-weather destination. Unfortunately, those are months where it’s just not easy to get the local populous to focus on work. I’m all for time off, but are TWO independence days really necessary in November? Unless that changes, don’t expect hoteliers to invest in building great destinations in Panama anytime soon.

5. Share

This point is ESSENTIAL for long-term success. If locals don’t benefit directly, they’ll resent tourists and/or find ways to benefit via other means. That often means that instead of creating a happy, well-paid tour guide who takes great pride in his country and welcomes tourists, we create a thief or hustler, who sees tourists only as marks. One way or another, locals WILL participate in the tourism gold rush. In my ideal world, it will be as an educated service provider, not a criminal.

In summary, the things Panama and other budding tourism destinations need to do are not complex tasks. These are common values that are being taught every day. I truly believe that it is within Panama’s ability to envision a future worth creating.

About Author

Casey Halloran is a tourism professional and web marketing consultant. He has lived and worked in Central America for over a decade and divides his time between Costa Rica and Panama.

http://www.panamarealestatepros.com

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