A Systems Approach to Ecotourism,
Leisure and Education in Panamá:
A Case Study
Bruno Borsari, Francisco Ugel Garrido, and Edmundo González
1 Introduction
Ecotourism has been heralded as a potentially successful venue for Panamá’s flourishing tourism industry, its primary objectives being economic growth enhancement
and the generation of opportunities for local communities while preserving natural
resources and sites (Lieberknecht et al. 1999). The first initiatives in developing
ecotourism programs began in the Canal watershed zone, near the capital and largest
metropolitan area (Panamá city). In recent years, more ecotourism initiatives have
been developing in other regions of the country, including Chiriquí and Bocas del
Toro provinces, near the border with Costa Rica (Cusack and Dixon 2006).
Panamá is known as a world ‘island’ for biological diversity, and this recognition makes it attractive to a broad spectrum of tourists, which includes researchers,
students, naturalists, nature photographers, outdoor recreationists, and others who
come here to experience/explore nature. Thus, ecotourism has begun to play a relevant role in Panamá’s economy, through the success achieved by some of its natural
reserve areas, spurring interests for more investments to improve its infrastructure and
for enhancing further recreation opportunities and services. The diversity of its territory and the cultural richness among its people of various ethnicities intermingle with
unique, ecologically rich landscapes. A stable climate and an abundance of resources
have been favourable since prehistoric times for the development of productive food
systems that facilitate people’s establishment. Early farming communities designed
B. Borsari (B)
Department of Biology, Winona State University, Winona, MN 55987, USA
e-mail: bborsari@winona.edu
F. U. Garrido · E. González
Universidad Tecnológica Oteima, David, Chiriquí, Panamá
e-mail: fugel@oteima.ac.pa
E. González
e-mail: coordinadorinvestigacion@oteima.ac.pa
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al. (eds.), Handbook of Sustainable Development and Leisure
Services, World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59820-4_17
257
Leisure and Education in Panamá:
A Case Study
Bruno Borsari, Francisco Ugel Garrido, and Edmundo González
1 Introduction
Ecotourism has been heralded as a potentially successful venue for Panamá’s flourishing tourism industry, its primary objectives being economic growth enhancement
and the generation of opportunities for local communities while preserving natural
resources and sites (Lieberknecht et al. 1999). The first initiatives in developing
ecotourism programs began in the Canal watershed zone, near the capital and largest
metropolitan area (Panamá city). In recent years, more ecotourism initiatives have
been developing in other regions of the country, including Chiriquí and Bocas del
Toro provinces, near the border with Costa Rica (Cusack and Dixon 2006).
Panamá is known as a world ‘island’ for biological diversity, and this recognition makes it attractive to a broad spectrum of tourists, which includes researchers,
students, naturalists, nature photographers, outdoor recreationists, and others who
come here to experience/explore nature. Thus, ecotourism has begun to play a relevant role in Panamá’s economy, through the success achieved by some of its natural
reserve areas, spurring interests for more investments to improve its infrastructure and
for enhancing further recreation opportunities and services. The diversity of its territory and the cultural richness among its people of various ethnicities intermingle with
unique, ecologically rich landscapes. A stable climate and an abundance of resources
have been favourable since prehistoric times for the development of productive food
systems that facilitate people’s establishment. Early farming communities designed
B. Borsari (B)
Department of Biology, Winona State University, Winona, MN 55987, USA
e-mail: bborsari@winona.edu
F. U. Garrido · E. González
Universidad Tecnológica Oteima, David, Chiriquí, Panamá
e-mail: fugel@oteima.ac.pa
E. González
e-mail: coordinadorinvestigacion@oteima.ac.pa
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Lubowiecki-Vikuk et al. (eds.), Handbook of Sustainable Development and Leisure
Services, World Sustainability Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59820-4_17
257