Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup. As the Panama Canal approaches its 100-year anniversary, the benefits are spread far and wide. Toronto-Playa Blanca air route is coming. And, we tell you all about healthcare costs in Panama. Here’s the latest:
U.S. port cities to benefit as the Panama Canal expands
The Panama Canal expansion has been getting a lot of press recently, and for good reason. The multi-billion dollar expansion is expected to double the Canal’s capacity, opening up the waterway, and the country of Panama to a highly accelerated volume of ships, which ultimately will translate to increased revenue. This is also true for many other ports up and down the east coast of the United States, which will soon be able to take on more volume, and increase trade margins substantially.
At more than $6.8 billion, the Panama Canal expansion is an ambitious attempt to reshape global shipping routes. A century ago president Teddy Roosevelt was instrumental in opening the canal, then a strategic shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Today, the canal is just too narrow for most commercial ships, like the massive freighters used to move goods from Asia to the United States. The Pacific Jewel, a Hong Kong cargo ship, just barely makes it through. Today only 19% of Asian imports are shipped through the canal. Currently more than 70% of Asia-to-America container traffic is shipped to the U.S. west coast. Goods heading east are then offloaded for transport by truck or train.
Once a Week Flights; Toronto-Rio Hato Ahead
The Rio Hato Airport near the “Playas” region of the Pacific coast of Panama has been looked at as a big potential source of income for the tourism industry since its inception. Now, it’s becoming a reality, with charter flights heading from Toronto, directly to the heavily visited beach area set to start by the end of this year.
FOUR MONTHS after the showcase opening of the Scarlett Martinez International Airport, in Rio Hato, Sunwing Airlines will introduce direct weekly flights from Toronto, Canada. Later in the year, during the peak months of the snowbird exodus from Canada, it will add Quebec gateways including Montreal starting in November and Quebec City starting in December. Bagotville will be added in February 2015.
The flights on Boeing 737-800 are part of one-week vacation packages offered by the Sunwing Group, which should prove a major boost to the visitor statistics for Panama’s new travel boss. A company press release says Sunwing Airlines has been offering affordable flights since 2005. Operating convenient direct flights from almost 40 cities in North America, to over 30 vacation destinations.
Source: Newsroom Panama
The Panama Wine & Beer Festival Comes to Town
The first week of August brings another major hospitality convention to Panama. This time, it’s the Wine & Beer Festival. The convention will feature a wide range of some of the world’s finest beverages, to showcase a variety of different brands and styles for import to Panama.
Attendees will be able to sample an international pick of wine and beer, take part in guided tastings and enjoy delicious mixed drinks, all under the auspices of industry experts. Wineries based in France, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Spain and Italy will have representatives on hand to demonstrate and talk about their products. European and Asian beer companies and several makers of bubbly will have a special area.
Tickets are on sale for $25 through Ticketplus. Those paying with Global Bank credit cards will receive a 15% discount on tickets as well as any products purchased at the event. Guided tastings have a limited availability, for which the event organizers encourage interested parties to check for details at Facebook.com/winebeerfestival.
Source: The Visitor Panama
Panama Health Care – High Quality, Affordable Cost
Finding the right healthcare in Panama is very important for nearly everyone who’s relocating to the country. It’s important to know what type of healthcare service’s you’ll get, at what cost, and how accessible it is. In our latest blog post, we highlight the Panama healthcare system, its hospitals, and how to choose an insurance plan that’s right for you.
The best hospitals in Panama, as you may expect, are in the capital. Panama City has some great facilities, staffed by many of the world’s top doctors and medical students. The best, by far, is Hospital Punta Pacifica, which serves as a partner institution to Johns Hopkins Medical Center in the US. Because of this, most doctors have international experience and training, and the facilities are similar to those in a top private hospital in the US.
Health insurance in Panama is also affordable. There are plans that range from basic coverage to full, advanced medical care, to cover a variety of needs and budgets. For basic coverage, you can get a plan as low as $30-$40 a month, and it goes up from there, depending on what procedures it covers. Many insurance companies offer 80%-100% coverage for their more advanced plans.
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