ICCA CEO Senthil Gopinath, joined by Andrés Escandón , ICCA Regional Director Latin America, met with His Excellency Jose Raúl Mulino, President of Panamá, and Salomón Shamah, the newly appointed general director and CEO of PROMTUR PANAMA in Panama City. The leaders discussed the socio-economic contribution of business events, ICCA’s commitment to developing the meetings industry of Panama, and the selection of Panama City as the destination for the ICCA Congress 2026. Both His Excellency the President and Shamah emphasised their commitment to ICCA, and recognised ICCA as the leading global meetings industry association. They also noted that the ICCA Congress is the most prestigious event of its kind, and that they are ready to support the global organisation's Congress from 8-11 November 2026. His excellency the President of Panama will inaugurate the Congress.
"It's indeed remarkably encouraging to hear from the leader of the nation that ‘meetings are of the utmost importance for the development of our economy, and my government’s strategic plan has identified the meetings industry as a key economic contributor,’ Thank you, your excellency, for the recognition of our industry. We are excited to work with Salomon Shamah and the leadership team of PROMTUR on creating a top-notch ICCA Congress in Panama City," said Gopinath. "The President of Panama and the leadership at PROMTUR have enthusiastically voiced their support for ICCA, and thanked ICCA for its strategic support in enhancing the regional and global position of Panama. We’re looking forward to continuing our great collaboration and another successful Congress."
ICCA recently expanded its strategic presence in Latin America and the Caribbean with the establishment of a new office within the Panama Association Hub (PAH). In collaboration with PROMTUR, Panama's destination management organisation and ICCA's association partner, the PAH was launched last year as a platform where international organisations can establish branch offices to develop the Latin American market, promote business and economic growth, foster knowledge-sharing, international cooperation, and the advancement of scientific and legacy projects in Panama and the region.
