Tourism Management

Course Project

Part 1

By: Luis M. Forbes

HOSP-450 Tourism Management

DeVry University

Date: May 16, 2015

Contents

Project Rationale 3

How and why did you choose the activity? 3

What research did you conduct to arrive to this decision? 4

What demographics and data did you use to help with your decision? 4

Goals 5

What do you hope to achieve with this trip? 5

Do you believe this plan will succeed in the long run? 5

Create a SWOT analysis? 6

Works Cited 7

Project Rationale

How and why did you choose the activity?

I choose the trip to Panama due to the potential for ecotourism in this country. Close to three-fourth of Panama GDP is in the service sector, which include services to Panama Canal, Free trade zone of Colon and tourism industry. The rapidly growing Tourism sector in this country is composed primarily of business travelers, the second market is for leisure travelers who takes advantage of the tropical weather, white-sand beaches in addition to the best cosmopolitan area in central America. The third market for tourism in Panama is the ecotourism section which is in his infancy.

Ecotourism is defined by The International Ecotourism Society as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves in interpretation and education” (Responsible Travel, 2015). Panama has great potential for ecotourism thanks to the numerous natural attractions and great ecological diversity such as rain forest, mountains, coastline in both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. The country also has great historic places and unique ethnic culture due in part to seven different indigenous groups of people that could only be found in Panama.

The ecotourism trip to Panama will provide a unique educational experience where guess could see different species of animals, reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitat. This trip will also...