UMECIT La Chorrera headquarters participates in the Western Panama Tourism Development Forum

The Academic Department of the La Chorrera campus of the Metropolitan University of Education, Science and Technology (UMECIT) was invited to participate in a highly important event for the province's tourism development: the West Panama Tourism Development Forum.

This meeting brought together local authorities, representatives of the tourism sector, specialized organizations, and members of the academic community, with the goal of promoting and consolidating Western Panama as a nationally and internationally recognized tourist destination.

During the event, strategic initiatives aimed at establishing a provincial brand that would enhance the region's tourism identity were presented, facilitating the promotion of its attractions and services in external markets. Furthermore, the forum served as a platform for established tourism entrepreneurs, who shared their proposals and strengthened their collaborative networks.

In a significant development, UMECIT was the only university in the Western Panama region invited to participate in this important forum. Students from the Bachelor's Program in Bilingual Tourism, accompanied by Master's Thelma Ackison and coordinated by Master's Alexis Del Cid (liaison between UMECIT and the Tourism Coordination of the La Chorrera Municipality), represented the institution in this space for academic growth and advancement.

The institutional participation also had the support of Master Ernesto Martínez, academic coordinator of the UMECIT Panama West campus.

First- through third-year students had the opportunity to learn firsthand about the tourism development proposals presented by the province's five mayors, along with representatives from the Decentralization Directorate, the Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprise Authority (AMPYME), Promtour, and other tourism-related entities.

During the forum, various strategies for promoting community-based, sustainable, adventure, and sports tourism were highlighted, as well as the importance of the Panama Oeste racetrack as a sports tourism attraction. The promotion of tourism ventures, hotels, agrotourism farms, and export products such as pineapple and low-altitude Robusta coffee were also discussed.

The region's enormous tourism potential was also explored, including hiking trails such as the climb to Cerro Cabra—a volcanic formation that is one of Panama's 26 volcanoes—as well as experiences in Campana National Park, the first in the country. Other highlights included the more than 60 waterfalls, petroglyphs, and cave paintings that enrich the cultural and natural offerings of Western Panama.

The event also included an artistic and cultural showcase with performances by the UMECIT urban dance group and folklore ensemble, as well as a special appearance by BRUNO, who provided a recreational and cultural component to the event.

These types of spaces not only strengthen the link between academia and the productive sector, but also reinforce UMECIT's institutional commitment to training professionals committed to local development, entrepreneurship, and culture.