Panama Nightlife: Tourist Hotspots & Best Bets

Panama has development options

“It is in neighborhoods like San Francisco or the old town where the Panamanian’s energy is broadcast and moved to the energy of the night. That night economy that creates value is only seen in our country and is there a concrete way to do so to grow in a sustainable way,” analyzes economist Carlos Araúz. “It is in neighborhoods like San Francisco or the old town where the Panamanian’s energy is broadcast and moved to the energy of the night. That night economy that creates value is only seen in our country and is there a concrete way to do so to grow in a sustainable way,” analyzes economist Carlos Araúz.

In this debate of options for the country, measures are proposed to consolidate night entertainment, through more flexible schedules, agile procedures and fiscal stimuli.

Awaiting incentives

The entertainment sector was hard hit during the years of the Pandemia by the COVID-19 and the date, the recovery has been slow and difficult, according to Aramis Cornejo, president of the Association of Restaurants, Bars and Disco-discos (ARBYD).

Cornejo emphasizes that the owners of night establishments have been waiting for the desired tax incentives that were promised at the time, although he recognizes that talking about them in the midst of the current economic situation, recognized and proclaimed from the government, “is a dream.”

“It is still a sector that has not yet been able to get up from the year 2020 and we are still waiting for those tax credits. Perhaps right now in an economy as it is hit now, thinking of tax credits is a dream, but thinking about a country promotion and that the central government helps us sell us better, to boost that night economy for bars, discos and restaurants, it is already a great step,” he said.

Strategic promotion and marketing

It is important that Panama begins to have nightlife, not only for weekends. For this to happen, it is necessary to implement an aggressive tourism promotion campaign as a country.

“For this to happen, the Panama Tourism Authority and the country’s tourism promotion agency, Promot, must assign the relevant resources so that each campaign promoted by our country includes a restaurant, bar, disco, night event component, so that we become that destination we so long for,” admitted the economist Carlos Araúz.

Night entertainment in Panama has aspects of authentic power and economic growth. Araúz argues that the entertainment industry should be understood, “not as a desire for party or parranda”, but as a true pillar of the Panamanian economy.