Panama received 2.38 million international visitors between January and October 2025. Preliminary data from the Government of Panama Comptroller General and the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) shows a 7.1 percent increase over the same period in 2024. The surge in tourism generated significant economic benefits for the Central American nation.
Tourism revenue for those ten months reached 5.4555 billion balboas, which is equivalent to the same figure in U.S. dollars. This represents a 9.3 percent year-over-year increase, adding roughly 465.7 million dollars to the economy. Hotel occupancy averaged a healthy 56 percent across the country during this period of growth.
Overnight Tourists Drive Economic Impact
The report highlights a crucial shift in visitor demographics fueling this boom. Nearly 1.89 million of the arrivals were tourists who stayed overnight in Panama. That number marks a substantial 10.9 percent jump from 2024. These visitors are having a direct and powerful impact on the local economy.
According to the ATP’s analysis, the average visitor now stays in Panama for about eight days. Each tourist spends an average of 2,284 dollars per trip, or approximately 285 dollars daily. This spending supports hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and retail businesses nationwide.
“These preliminary figures confirm a sustained recovery and growth trend for tourism in Panama,” the ATP stated in its report. [Translated from Spanish]
In contrast to the rise in overnight guests, the number of transit passengers and same-day excursionists fell by 13.6 percent to 266,480. Cruise ship passengers, however, provided another bright spot. Their numbers grew by 6.9 percent year-over-year, reaching 226,740 visitors.
Tocumen Airport Remains Primary Gateway
Panama’s main aviation hub solidified its role as the country’s front door. Tocumen International Airport processed 1.82 million international arrivals, a commanding 77 percent of all visitors. Traffic through the airport grew by 8.9 percent compared to the first ten months of 2024.
Regional analysis of these air arrivals reveals interesting trends. South America provided the largest share of visitors at 36.4 percent, followed closely by North America at 28.1 percent. European travelers accounted for 13.7 percent of the total. The most dramatic growth came from neighboring Costa Rica, which saw a 20.7 percent increase in visitors flying into Tocumen.
Other points of entry included cruise ports, which accounted for 9 percent of all visitors. The Paso Canoas land border received 81,316 visitors, representing 3 percent of the total. Other seaports saw a slight decline of 2.4 percent in visitor traffic.
The data, compiled by the Contraloría General de la República (Government of Panama Comptroller General), points to a sector successfully capitalizing on its geographic and logistical advantages. Panama’s strategy to attract longer-stay tourists appears to be paying significant dividends. The focus now shifts to sustaining this momentum through the remainder of 2025 and into the new year.