What Are the Six Things that Canada’s Vancouver B.C. Can Teach Panama City?

On my recent trip to the Northwest, I was charmed and impressed by the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  The city was well developed, and a pleasure to visit.  While, I was in Vancouver B.C., my mind kept creating ideas that could work in Panama City.  Here are a few:

*****  I recognize that Western are often condescending to other parts of the world.  However, Vancouver B.C. is not better than Panama City, and Panama City is not better than Vancouver B.C..  They can both learn from each other.  We all can learn from each other.   Hopefully, my suggestions to Panama City are interpreted not as the condescending Westerner, but as fellow member of the Panama City community who has a couple ideas.

1.“Hop On, Hop Off” Tours. Vancouver B.C. has come up with a unique concept that allows tourists to see the city at their own pace. Open air tourist buses are continually circulating the city on a well-market route spaced 15 to 30 minutes apart.  With a purchase of a $30 two day pass, visitors can hop on and off the bus as they wish at any of the designated bus stops which stops at:  museums, historical landmarks, city parks, zoos, hotels, government buildings, unique neighborhoods, and shopping centers.  These tours make it easy for visitors to navigate a new city as well as pick and choose their destinations and sights they want to see and spend time.

How could Panama use this concept?

A “Hop On / Hop Off” tour would be ideally suited to Panama City and promote tourism.  Panama City has horrendous traffic issues making virtually impossible for visitors to see the city by car.  Implementing a similiar Vancouver “Hop On / Hop Off” style tour would not only be desirable, but could also be profitable.

It is likely that a tour company would want to start with a small fleet to reduce the initial investment by using small buses or vans and plaster the sides with a flashy logo.  To reduce overhead, ticket sells could be outsourced to hotels, tour companies, and merchant locations.  Similar to Vancouver B.C, the route should be highlighted on a city map with bright bus stop markers making it easy for tourists to locate.  The tours should also be promoted on   popular websites in Panama with a link to the company’s website to allow customers to buy tickets online and see the route.

Possible city tour designations:  Panama Canal, Casco Viejo, Cinta Costera, Panama Viejo, Ancon Hill, Major hotels, National parks, etc.

EyeOnPanama.com’s contribution would be to highlight the tour on our Panama map feature located at the bottom of our home page and provide a link to the company’s website, as well as other multi-media promotion.

2. Multi-lingual. Vancouver’s “On/Off” tours are offered in 6 different languages.  Riders simply plug their headphones into the outlet adjacent to their seat.  The guided translated audio tour is already pre-recorded.  Even more impressive is the fact that many of Vancouver’s landmarks also offer translated tours and information.

How does this apply to Panama?

Panama has the “ganas”, or desire to become an international tourist treasure, with Panama City as its crown jewel. Many of the country’s current tourist destinations are bi-lingual with Spanish and English translations available.  However, if Panama truly wants to develop its tourist industry, it should become multi-lingual by adding more language translations. I would argue that in addition to English and Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Russian, Japanese, and Mandarin should be added and potentially Italian and Korean.

3. Metro. Vancouver has a state-of-the-art public transportation system.  The key component to the system is metro line called the “SkyTrain”.  It is primarily above ground monorail line, and swiftly moves people throughout the entire city, even to the suburbs.  My experience was amazing.  SkyTrain was efficient, economical, fast, and secure.  The metro line even connects you to alternative transportation, buses, ferry boats, trains, and Vancouver’s international airport.

How does this apply to Panama?

It has been rumored that Panama is building a metro line.  If true, this would be a critical first step at addressing Panama’s disastrous public transportation.  Constant traffic congestion is stifling economic growth.  Entrepreneurial opportunities such as the “Hop On / Hop Off” tours as well as basic economic activity is negatively impacted the inadequacy of Panama City’s public transportation sector.

A metro line in Panama City should hug the city’s coastline and start at Tocumen International Airport, make stops in Costa Sur, Costal Del Este, Punta Pacifica, Calle 50, Bella Vista, Casco Viejo, and end in the Causeway.  Future lines could be connected to the main line, and reach farther into the city.

4. Mixed-Use Development.  Vancouver B.C. does an excellent job at utilizing mixed-use developments.  Mixed development is the practice of allowing more than one use in a building or set of buildings. Typically, this is the combination of residential and commercial in the same building.  Commercial space occupies the first and sometimes the second floor, with residential apartments on the upper floors.

These mixed-use developments are beneficial to residents and retailers.  Residents enjoy the ability of being able to walk to work, stores, entertainment, and nightlife.  While retailers have the assurance that they will always have customers living right above and around them.  If executed properly like in Vancouver B.C., cities reduce their traffic congestion, and increase their sustainability.  Mixed-use developments are more efficient, eco-friendly and are the most vibrant areas of the any city.

How does this apply to Panama?

Currently, Casco Viejo and Via Argentina are the only two areas in Panama City adequately utilizing mixed-use developments.  For that reason, they are areas with the highest demand, and are my favorite places in Panama City.

Bella Vista has a hidden potential for a mix-use development.  Bella Vista has rich history, and is dotted with old Spanish style mansions.  Unfortunately, parts of Bella Vista are a bit run down, and the nice parts are being torn down and replaced with Miami-style high rise condos buildings, which is losing its charm.

A great potential real estate opportunity for investors/developers would be to buy these run down mansions and create a mixed-use development.   Keep the Spanish mansion décor, and turn the ground floor into a commercial space and build up several floors of residential space above with the same unique Spanish-inspired styling. It is concept that could be used to create an entire block or section of the city that would make it unique.

EyeOnPanama.com’s contribution: Promoting the area, and coordinating investors.

5. Tree-lined Streets. Almost every street in downtown Vancouver B.C. has lush green trees sprouting from their sidewalks. Tree break up the monotony of the intercity and soften its landscape with nature.  Additionally,  they serve a strategic purpose for pedestrians;  Trees are canopies of protection from gusty rainstorms and the blistering sun.  It’s a nice touch to metropolitan cities.

How does this apply to Panama?

Trees along Panama sidewalks are too few and far between.  Via Argentina, Punta Pacifica, and Costal Del Este are the only areas of town that have  them.  It’s a pity since Panama City’s tropical geographic location allows it to easily grow majestic trees much quicker than the North Hemisphere.  Panama’s city planners should strive to add beauty to the city by lining the streets with trees.  A good start would be to line the streets of would be Via Espana, Calle 50 and some of the smaller arterial streets in Obarrio, Cangrejo, and Bella Vista.

6. Chinatown. Vancouver B.C. is home to the largest Chinatown in Canada, and the second largest in North America.  This area of town is well maintained, secure, culturally identified, and is very tourist friendly.  The city use Chinatown as promotional tool to court tourists especially Chinese tourists. As a result, thousands of tourists yearly flock to Vancouver B.C. solely to visit and shop in Chinatown.

How does this apply to Panama?

First, thepanamareport.com has a great article about Panama’s Chinatown.

http://www.thepanamareport.com/panama-travel/panama-tours/chinatown-panamas-fire-in-the-sky-781-157.html

Panama has the one of largest populations of Chinese decent in Latin America.  In fact, Panama City has a Chinese bank and a private school for  Panamanians with Chinese decent. What is unfortunate is that the “Chinatown” area of Panama city is both poorly advertised and located in a dodgey part of town that repels rather than attracts most tourists.

It would be wise for Panama to clean up and promote Chinatown especially since it is located next to Casco Viejo which is already undergoing restoration.  The government could provide the similar restoration incentives to this area both areas will benefit and the city will have added another tourist destination and market center.  More importantly, it will likely attract some of the many Chinese tourists that are becoming much more prevalent.