Panamanian Youth Trained in Digital Tourism & Emerging Tech | AI, Blockchain & Bitcoin
Panama City, Panama – Eighty-two young Panamanians have completed a digital tourism diploma program, equipping them with skills in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and bitcoin, with the aim of revitalizing the country’s tourism sector. The program, which concluded this week, focused on designing innovative tourist experiences tailored to evolving market trends.
The 12-week, 120-hour course prepared participants with technological tools deemed essential for enhancing the competitiveness and productivity of Panama’s tourism industry. The initiative was a collaboration between the Council of the Private Sector for Educational Assistance (Cospae), the International Youth Foundation, and the Universidad Única FAM.
Yanilka Jiménez, a program graduate, intends to leverage her recent skills to promote tourism in Panama’s indigenous comarcas, highlighting their untapped potential. “I’m looking to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to promote destinations in the comarcal areas, showcasing their tourism potential,” she stated.
Ethan Ramos, another participant, plans to combine his ambition of becoming a pilot with the promotion of aerial tours across various regions of Panama. “This training will allow me to combine my aspiration to become a pilot with tourism, by promoting air tours of different regions of the country,” Ramos explained.
NeiLye Ettie emphasized the importance of digital tools, specifically chatbots, for improving customer communication in tourism businesses, facilitating virtual assistance and more direct interaction. “Tools like chatbots are important for improving communication with customers in tourism ventures, facilitating virtual attention and more direct interaction,” Ettie noted.
Carmen Sealy Broce, President of Cospae, highlighted the diverse backgrounds of the participants, noting that they came not only from tourism but also from technology, and administration. “The participants reach from diverse areas, not only tourism, but also technology and administration, which enriches the vision of the sector and allows it to be approached from a digital perspective,” Sealy Broce said.
According to program organizers, 75% of the participants were unemployed at the start of the diploma, suggesting a potential for significant employment opportunities following their certification. Representatives from the Panamanian Hotel Association (Apatel) and the Chamber of Tourism have indicated their intention to integrate these graduates into the workforce through the country’s new internship law.
Andrés Varón, a spokesperson for the International Youth Foundation, underscored the importance of such initiatives in fostering youth interest and enabling the creation of new services, marketing strategies, and secure transaction systems using blockchain technology. “These types of initiatives awaken the interest of young people and allow them to create new services, experiences, marketing strategies and secure transaction systems through blockchain,” Varón stated.