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Panamá Canal watershed, and part of a rich cluster of natural, historical and cultural touristic
attractions linked to the Canal. Baseline biological data analyzed during preparation and
presented below (Table 1) confirm the importance of the 9 selected Pas for the protection of
Panamanian biodiversity, including endemism.
Table 1: Summary of biodiversity baseline in the nine selected PAs of SINAP
9. In addition to an analysis of biodiversity, a review was also undertaken of the ecotourism
resources and ecotourism activities (existing and potential) in each PA. In 2009, visitation to the
9 PAs totaled in the order of 43,000 with the highest levels reported for PN Chagres, PN Coiba,
PN Bastimentos and PN Soberania (see Table 2). These are extremely low visitation levels when
compared to countries with similar ecotourism potential such as Costa Rica and Colombia.
Annex E summarizes the main characteristics of each protected area in terms of ecotourism
resources and activities as well as potential threats.
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Table 2: Visitation to selected PAs in 2009
Protected Area Students Foreign National
Retired and
youth
Total
Soberanía 1,165 2,742 1,540 132 5,579
Isla Bastimentos 156 5222 2247 47 7,672
La Amistad 11 179 10 0 200
Omar Torrijos Herrera 626 190 373 11 1,200
Volcán Barú 566 1,655 979 75 3,275
Altos de Campana 1,259 265 761 48 2,333
Darién ND 15 ND ND 15
Chagres 701 13,041 424 17 14,183
Coiba 441 5,919 1,742 43 8,145
Total 4,925 29,228 8,076 373 42,602
Fuente: CBMA, ANAM en Hernandez, A. 2010
10. Panama´s current tourism sector market targets mostly on the upper-level market niche
(shopping, conventions, business travelers, etc) and is mostly centered on Panamá City, with the
exception of specific segments such as bird watching and coastal tourism. Based on studies
undertaken for the Tourism Master Plan and an analysis conducted during the PPG, market
potential for Panamanian PAs should clearly differentiate: (i) a cluster of PA which offers an