NEWSLETTER - JULY 2014

Introduction

"Welcome to the monthly edition of the World Trade Center Panama Newsletter! Through this monthly newsletter we want to interconnect our members and inform our tenants by sharing useful information about WTC Panama. We will also showcase the ongoing activities and our latest updates on upcoming and past events, as well as the international relationship of WTC Panama with other WTC’s through the WTC Association." Mr. Remy Swaab, Executive Director of WTC Panama.

Close to Home

General Assembly WTC Panama

The WTC Panama Complex celebrated a General Assembly of Owners on June 18, 2014. At this Assembly the points proposed and described below were resolved

1. Revisión de inversiones: se ha puesto en marcha el Plan de Inversión para las mejoras en infraestructura, con un costo mayor de  cien mil dólares para este año.
2. Incremento de cuota: se aprobó un incremento en la cuota de mantenimiento a partir de Julio 2014 para sufragar dichas inversiones.
3. Se dio la ratificación del Manual de Uso y Operaciones al igual que el Reglamento de Uso de Espacios en Áreas Comunes, aprobando la implementación de ambos a partir de Julio 2014.
4. Cumplimiento de medidas de seguridad: la Administración efectuará el inventario de los extintores de las oficinas y locales comerciales, y revisará sus fechas de expiración, con el ánimo de velar por el cumplimiento de la ley exigido por los Bomberos y la compañía de Seguros.
5. Programa de unificación de fumigación: mediante este programa la administración se involucrará en la realización simultánea de la fumigación en todo el complejo, así aumentará la eficacia del tratamiento y fiscalizará que todos cumplan. Este plan ofrece también contratos colectivos que brindarán ahorro en las tarifas actuales.

Responsible energy usage

Since the energy demand in Panama almost matches the offer, as Mr. Roberto Roy said, the Panamanian government decided to apply some energy saving measures in the whole country. This is to avoid repercussions and issues with the hydro electrical system, due to the lack of rain these past months. In fact, with the recent master projects that joined Panama City, as the metro and many others, the energetic demand has grown significantly; what used to be enough is not anymore. Amongst the measures that were established to compensate the issue, was the decree to turn off all air conditioning systems in private and public institutions between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. It was also required that all signs and high consumption equipment had to be shut down or used responsibly. These mandatory regulations caused discomfort; but in regards to saving energy, they became an important damper. Fortunately, since Monday the 16th of June all restrictions were lifted and the energy supply was restored. The WTC Panama Complex keeps its saving spirit and invites all members and tenants to use energy responsibly and efficiently.
More information

World Trade Center congratulates Mr. Jesus Sierra

Mr. Jesus Sierra, former president of the Panama Hotel Association, and founder of the Law Firm Guerra, Sierra and Atie located at the WTC Panama´s 1105 office, has been named as the new Minister of Tourism in Panama by the President Juan Carlos Varela. Mr. Sierra is part of the CONEP (Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada) Board of Directors and participated in President Varela´s proposals for the Tourism Sector. WTC Panama, congratulates the new Minister of Tourism, and extends its best success wishes to fulfill this mission that benefits the whole country.

Members at Heart

WTC Panama goes social

To strengthen bonds with all its members and tenants, as well as the WTC’s all around the world; the WTC Panama launches its new social media accounts. Looking forward to enhance communication between local businesses and encourage possible new members to join our community, WTC Panama invites everyone to follow the new Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Plus accounts.  Here you will be kept posted about everything occurring at the WTC Panama Complex as well as the most important matters of the WTC Panama internationally:

WTC Panama encourages all members and tenants to link with its social media accounts for the benefit of all. If every business and its employees participate, World Trade Center Panama will be able to better promote everyone’s’ activities through its Social Media network as well.

Member Acknowledgment

Words from Mrs. Angie Torres, General Manager, Regus World Trade Center

A nice office gives a great impression of your business.
¿Have you ever heard the phrase "Perceiving success, generates success"? Applied to business, there´s nothing more certain when it comes to the first impression a client gets as he walks into the office of the company giving service. Regus is a company which mission is to provide fancy, spacious and equipped facilities to all of those business men and women looking for an office in a specific period of time: days, weeks, half-time or full time. Regus has executive and virtual offices, meeting rooms, an outstanding reception with bilingual staff and business lounges. Regus is your best ally, not only for a great first impression but to build trust in your potential clients. It adapts to any business needs, big or small, national or international. Even the big companies like Nokia and Google have used Regus’s from their beginnings. One of Regus´s 1800 locations is right here at the WTC Panama and it provides all the advisory in legal matters related to opening an office. For more information call now 205-1699 or visit www.regus.com.pa.

Panama News

Great expectations for Panama's economic growth

There are great expectations of Panama´s economic growth. According to the Ministry of Finance (MEF) and the “World Bank Economic Outlook”, growth is projected at 7%, making it the country with the highest economic growth of all Latin America. This important growth is due to the port activities and the increment of the Panama Canal activities. In this year’s first trimester, the income from canal traffic increased 4.4% compared to last year for a total of $479.3 million dollars. For Panama, the growth rate is projected to continue until 2016 at 6.8%, 6.2% and 6.4%.

Tourism Boost

Like the city of Panama, the tourism sector has grown fast and solid, positioning the country as one of the most visited destinations in Latin America. Since 2010, the tourism sector has achieved a dramatic increase in income, and a constant tourism movement. Being the best spot for connectivity in Latin America and worldwide, Panama welcomes more than a million visitors each year. Thanks to the advances in infrastructure, improvements in the public transportation system, the demand of quality services, the different landscapes and attractions Panama has to offer, tourists find a comfortable and attractive destination to visit. It doesn’t’t matter if you are in the city, at the beach, or in the countryside of Panama, the presence of foreign people never fails. The support the rapid growth of tourism, better roads have been built and will lead to the development of the hotel industry along the Caribbean Coast of Panama. Regarding the metropolitan area, the hotels’ supply has increased its capacity. Five years ago, the city had around 14,500 hotel rooms, and today the capacity is near to 30,000; although, the occupation margin has lowered by 62%.  With the “boom” that the city has had and the growing success of the industry, tourism has become one of today's most popular businesses. Every day there are new things to do, new places to stay from boutique hotels to mega projects, tons of tourist “spots”, and a market that projects a great success for those who are involved in the field of hotels and tourism.
More information

News from the Americas

Latin-Americans and online shopping

When computers and the internet became accessible to the majority of Latin-Americans, a method of acquisition was born which revolutionized the commercial world. We refer to on line purchasing or electronic commerce known as e-commerce. The popularity of “buying and selling” has grown due to its efficiency and vast offers it provides. Today it is possible to purchase just about anything by internet, be by the most popular sites such as eBay or Amazon and a credit card, and delivery by forwarders such as FedEx. Electronic banking has provided an efficient way to control accounts; purchase airline tickets and infinity of services that make life much easier to consumers. Many recent marketing researches concluded that almost 80% of Latin-Americans that use internet habitually purchase online. It is no longer necessary to go to the stores, stand in bank lines or pay bills by a simple click of the mouse. The advances are so great, one can even call and pay for a taxi cab or control home lights through a remote mobile unit. It is surprising how every day more Latin-Americans join the online market. The services are constantly becoming more efficient to the joy of the consumers. The rejection to e-commerce due to inadequate service, identity theft, data and credit card insecurity is a thing of the past as systems evolved. More information

Investing in wood

During the last years in Latin America, there has been a very strong investment in the forest and wildlife sectors as an attempt to recover from the losses caused by deforestation and to boost business based on forestal development making the market sustainable.  In Panama, for instance, twenty thousand wood hectares were planted to accomplish the goals set by the National Forest Plan and an agreement was signed with the Commerce and Industries Chamber to impulse the industry´s evolution. The exportation volume grew thirteen times more than the previous year.  Honduras and Nicaragua keep a project focused on preventing forestal fires and wildlife deterioration in order to protect their exportation business and avoid illegal wood trade. All exportation vehicles in these countries go through a very rigorous document revision process to ensure the business is trustworthy. Meanwhile, Honduras negotiated an alliance with the European Union to make wood exportation and investment in the field more fluent and efficient avoiding illegal traffic. Honduras is the first country to negotiate these matters with the first continent, nevertheless, many other countries from the region seem to follow the same steps by studying all the possibilities to conquer a business field that, with good management, has a promising future. More information

Upcoming Events

About Us

WTC Panama aims to expand communication, international market culture and business services. The primary goal of the WTC Panama is to bring together the businesses involved in international commerce and provide them with services that will help facilitate growth. WTC Panama connects various economic segments locally and globally and is a member of the World Trade Centers Association. This Association stimulates trade and investment opportunities for commercial property developers, economic development agencies and international businesses looking to connect globally and prosper locally through the exclusive 330 'World Trade Center' branded properties and trade service.