Panama seeks concessionaires for regional airports

In recent months CAPA has reported widely on airport concession schemes and how the search for them is gaining strength in Latin America, where notable ones are already to be found in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, while countries like Uruguay and Ecuador are trying to introduce them.

The latest country to join them is Panama, an isthmus in Central America between Costa Rica and Colombia best known for its transoceanic canal, a swanky lifestyle in the capital, and some dodgy financial firms.

But although Panama City is well known internationally, the hinterland, while it contains many tourist attractions, is not so familiar to many. Although the hinterland is served by many airports, most have no scheduled flights, and those that exist are irregular ones to the capital, Panama City.

In order to attract the tourists that the regions merit, the airports must be improved, along with various other infrastructures. A bill proposes to invite in concessionaires to manage them, but would those potential concessionaires want to?