Anne Marie Obdam, CMP
Managing Director
The Planners Resource Group, Strategic Planners
Toronto
Describe your event. We traveled to Panama in February to execute a program for top real estate agents coming in from across Canada. We had 96 guests staying at the Trump Hotel in Panama. We partnered with Gamboa as our DMC.
Did you encounter any major challenges or difficulties? We did not encounter any major difficulties. Anything that came up was handled very well by both the hotel and Gamboa.
What are Panama’s biggest selling points? The city, which is new and old, growing and vibrant; the surrounding areas, such as the islands, which are beautiful; and the pricing, which is still considerably lower than tier-one cities in North America and South America.
What did your attendees enjoy the most? Spending a day on “Survivor Island” and a close second was the tours.
What unique off-site venues did you use for events or meetings? The old convent—spectacular!
What interesting excursions or activities did you incorporate into the agenda? Gamboa provided three different tours for our guests, including the Panama Canal, the Old City and the rainforest.
What advice would you give other planners bringing groups to Panama? Ensure you deal with only the highest-end hotel properties. Meet with the general manager of the property. Confirm they understand exactly your vision and nail the details.
Would you organize another event in Panama? Yes I would. I am confident with our hotel and ground service providers that the program would exceed the expectation of our guests and truly give them an experience of a lifetime.