Panama to Host Major Event in Luxury Tourism Promotion

Panama is set to host one of the world’s most important events for the premium tourism segment, which will take place in the country for the next eight consecutive years, starting in May 2025.

Panama will be the venue for the "Essence of Panama" event, a continuation of the prestigious "Essence of Luxury Travel," which has been held in Marbella, Spain, in recent years. This event is recognized as one of the most important in promoting luxury tourism worldwide. It is organized by Serandipians by Traveller Made, a global network of luxury travel agencies and service providers.

Around 300 professionals will gather in Panama from May 12 to 16, 2025, for this meeting. The Serandipians network brings together more than 550 travel agencies and around 1,200 associated companies, such as hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), and other luxury tourism service providers located in 70 countries.

"The choice of Panama as the host for this exclusive event increases the country's visibility in the luxury tourism segment. It is also an excellent opportunity for the professionals that make up the Serandipians network to experience firsthand the attributes of our tourism offering and the benefits of an authentic and vibrant destination known for its extraordinary natural, historical, and cultural wealth," said Fernando Fondevila, CEO of PROMTUR Panama.

"We are very excited to have one of the three ‘The Essence’ events in Panama starting in 2025. ‘Essence of Panama’ will bring our community closer to the home of many of our Member Travel Designers and Associated Hotels & DMCs. It will also give our community the opportunity to discover or further explore this incredible destination, its people, culture, gastronomy, and its rich natural ecosystem. We hope to make Panama a reference point for Serandipians through a sustainable partnership between all stakeholders," highlighted Quentin Desurmont, CEO of Serandipians.

Xplore Panama, as the Destination Management Company (DMC) partner for the Serandipians network since 2019, worked closely with the Serandipians team for over a year to ensure Panama was selected as the host of this prestigious event. This process involved hosting Serandipians executives, including their president, Mr. Quentin Desurmont, to showcase the destination and highlight its competitive advantages and unique attributes in terms of culture, history, and nature, demonstrating why Panama is the ideal location for this important event.

"We are grateful for the trust and support of Serandipians in choosing Panama, and we are confident that this event will have a positive impact on the destination, solidifying its position in the luxury tourism segment. The selection of Panama as the host demonstrates our commitment and progress in promoting the destination globally. We are excited about the opportunity to showcase to these high-level professionals everything Panama has to offer, and we are sure they will leave with a memorable impression of our destination," said Juan Vásconez, Co-founder/President of Xplore Panama.

Panama will be the meeting point where Serandipians executives will welcome partners from around the world to learn about market trends, exchange news, and generate business. The agenda includes seminars, conferences, one-on-one meetings, as well as a gala night where awards will be presented to the most outstanding professionals within the network in various categories.

Founded in 2013, the Serandipians network includes luxury travel providers such as hotels, resorts, private villas, destination management companies, yacht and private jet operators, tourism offices, and other providers of exceptional experiences and services.