If the serene but often overlooked Central American country of Panama hasn’t been at the top of your travel bucket list, you’re not alone. But experts say it might be time to reconsider.
Lonely Planet announced Panama’s lushly forested coffee-growing region of Chiriquí as one of the world’s best destinations in 2025.
Panama is new to the spotlight as a travel destination. After all, its most famous feature, the Panama Canal, is one visitors simply pass through on their way somewhere else. However, love from Lonely Planet and the creativity and connectivity of Panama City-based Copa Airlines help bring the country to new audiences as a destination worth traveling to, not just through.
Welcome to Panama
Panama has long been a pass-through destination, even before the Panama Canal made it world-famous for this very reason. The country, little more than a narrow bridge connecting South America and Central America, has long been overshadowed by neighboring tourism hubs Costa Rica and Colombia.
Despite Panama City being one of Latin America’s most important financial capitals, the country hasn’t made much headway as a travel destination in its own right. That seems to be changing, with Panama reporting travel and tourism revenue far exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
By the end of 2023, Panama reported a nearly 15% increase in travel and tourism revenues over 2019, and experts expect it to break 2023 records by almost $6 million this year.
It’s a huge change for Panama’s growing tourism industry, but it seems natural for the already impressive destination.
Panama shares much of the natural beauty and biodiversity that lures travelers next door to Costa Rica, while island destinations like Bocas del Toro and the San Blas Islands promise beach vacations rivaling those in other Caribbean destinations.
Copa Airlines
Panama is taking its next step as a travel destination with its impressive flight connectivity to the United States, Latin America, and beyond.
With the help of Copa Airlines, Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport has become the so-called “Hub of the Americas,” making it one of Latin America’s most well-served airports. It’s making the Americas more accessible even from the United States, adding service to Austin and Baltimore last year and Raleigh-Durham this summer.
Connectivity is key in putting Panama on the radar for travelers, but Copa’s more creative programs give the country an additional tourism boost. The company’s Panama Stopover program allows travelers to make a stopover stay in the country on either their inbound or outbound Copa Airlines flight without paying any additional airfare.
“Our successful ‘Panama Stopover’ program…. allows passengers transiting through Tocumen International Airport to spend up to seven days in Panama at no additional airfare cost,” shares a representative from Copa Airlines. “It provides a unique opportunity to explore the country’s vibrant culture, rich history, and natural beauty, all while continuing their travels to Copa’s more than 55 destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Offering stopovers as an incentive to draw travelers isn’t entirely new, but it’s incredibly effective in many destinations. Icelandair has offered island stopovers for travelers heading between North America and mainland Europe since the 1960s, a transformative tactic in making Iceland a sought-after destination.
Adding a stopover in Panama to another vacation feels like getting two vacations for the price of one, which is more bang for your buck than you’d get otherwise.
The Panama Stopover program also draws on increasing travel and tourism to Latin America and the Caribbean, where travel industry recovery outpaces other regions by as much as 18%.
It’s easy with Copa Airlines, which serves 85 destinations in 32 countries across the hemisphere. In addition to its connectivity, the airline is exceptionally punctual. It’s on-time arrival rate of 89.46% makes it the third-most punctual airline worldwide. The airline snagged a spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 15 Best International Airlines list last year.
Stopover or Destination?
Travelers getting ahead of this trending travel destination know there’s plenty more to see than they can manage through Copa’s stopover program alone.
Part of the increasing appeal of the country’s capital city has been its revitalized historic center. Now, Spanish colonial churches sit alongside a crop of new luxury hotels, including Hotel la Compañía and Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, which strategically repurposed centuries-old buildings to bring new life to the neighborhood.
Outside of Panama City, the Chiriquí region earned recognition as a budding destination by more than just Lonely Planet. A standout among the area’s Pacific Coast beach towns and jungle hideaways is Isla Palenque, a luxury resort on an untouched tropical island. The resort offers just eight standalone beachfront casitas and one six-bedroom estate on its sprawling 400-acre property. Its tiny footprint offers incredible seclusion and unmatched preservation of rich local wildlife.
“Copa Airlines is proud to implement initiatives that promote tourism and economic growth in Panama,” said the Copa Airlines representative. Come for a stopover and stick around — it may give you enough time to start dreaming up your next Panama vacation.
