Panama City

Panama City, Panama, scores 58 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #168 of 309 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 70% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

CIRA Index: 58
OECD: 55
UN Tourism: 61
UNDRR: 56

Strongest

Extreme heat days: 0 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (GLP International Sales / Panama Canal Authority & Metro de Panamá, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.

Weakest

Tropical nights: 365.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4.
Wastewater safely treated: 52.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (United Nations SDG Country Profiles / WHO & UN-Habitat SDG 6.3.1 Database, 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4.
Hotel bed or room occupancy: 51 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Asociación Panameña de Hoteles (Apatel) / Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá via Prensa Latina, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.

Panama in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Panama is #65 of 110 countries (3.96 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 58 on the CIRA Index; Panama City is right on that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 67

Nights in the three busiest months: 29.4 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4. Source
Domestic share of nights: 19.5 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). Between 15 and 25: grade 1/4. Source
Largest foreign market: 23.6 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP), Jan–Jun 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source
Recovery against 2019: 111.6 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP) / Contraloría General de la República via Road Genius & La Prensa, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
Average length of stay: 8 nights per visitor (country figure) (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP), 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
Hotel bed or room occupancy: 51 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Asociación Panameña de Hoteles (Apatel) / Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá via Prensa Latina, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 50

Jobs in tourism industries: 10.7 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). Between 8 and 12: grade 3/4. Source
Unemployment rate: 12.4 % of the labour force (region figure) (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo (INEC) - Encuesta de Mercado Laboral, reported by La Estrella de Panamá, October 2024). Between 12 and 18: grade 1/4. Source
Income per head: 43,902 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 30,000 and 45,000: grade 2/4. Source
Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 40

Extreme heat days: 0 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
Tropical nights: 365.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4. Source
Flood hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
Wildfire and storm hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
Country disaster risk: 4 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 3.5 and 5: grade 2/4. Source

Water and environment: 58

Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
Wastewater safely treated: 52.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (United Nations SDG Country Profiles / WHO & UN-Habitat SDG 6.3.1 Database, 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4. Source
Municipal waste per resident: 500.1 kg per resident per year (EcoIncinera / Alcaldía de Panamá, Challenges for Panama's Sustainable Development, 2016). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4. Source
Green space: not measured yet

Community and housing: 42

Tourism intensity: 16.8 visitor nights per resident per year (country figure) (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP) & Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo (INEC), Reporte: Análisis de desempeño Turístico de Panamá 2023, 2023). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4. Source
Cruise pressure: not measured yet
Rent growth: 15 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Panama Equity Real Estate, Q2 2025). Between 10 and 15: grade 1/4. Source
Short-let density: 1.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Global Property Guide / AirDNA and INEC Panama, Q1 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4. Source
Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 67

Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (GLP International Sales / Panama Canal Authority & Metro de Panamá, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4. Source
Air traffic recovery: not measured yet
Rail share of intercity access: not measured yet
Rail traffic recovery: not measured yet
Largest airline group share: not measured yet
Air route concentration: not measured yet
Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil (SINAPROC) / Senacyt, 2023–2024). Grade 3/4. Source
Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP), 2020–2025). Grade 2/4. Source
Government effectiveness: 57.1 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4. Source
Travel advisory: 2 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). Between 1 and 2: grade 3/4. Source
Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Gaceta Oficial Digital de Panamá / PROMTUR Panamá, 2024). Grade 2/4. Source

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