Terra Panama: Custom-Tailored Solutions Take Shape on Site


Depuis les remparts du fort San Lorenzo, entre forêt tropicale et mer des Caraïbes © Terra Panama

CroisiEurope


Know a Place Before Proposing It

A field reconnaissance teaches us things that a phone call or a description of an activity doesn’t always reveal: how long a transfer really takes and the condition of the road, when during the year a visit is most enjoyable, as well as the limits of an activity. We visit the accommodations, speak with the people responsible for welcoming travelers, and test experiences so that we can present them accurately to agencies. In Portobelo, for example, beyond discovering the fortifications, this ensemble of batteries and emblematic Spanish colonial forts invites you to immerse yourself in Congo culture, to the rhythm of drums and around local specialties such as the hojaldres and the carimañolas.


A Different Panama for Every Profile

For a family, we can emphasize minimal changes in accommodations and mix discoveries with free time. Around Bocas del Toro, a visit to a cacao plantation becomes a hands-on experience you can touch, smell, and taste, while a boat excursion lets you explore the islands at a pace suitable for children. The itinerary is then adjusted based on their ages, travel times, and the parents’ wishes.

For nature-loving travelers, Volcán offers another way to discover the Chiriquí mountains. The trails around the village allow you to walk through highland forests, with opportunities to observe many bird species and enjoy the panoramas. Depending on the group’s level, we can propose an easy walk or a more demanding hike, then take the time to discover the rural landscapes and the agricultural cultures that define the region’s identity.


Dans les hauteurs de Chiriquí, Volcán dévoile un Panama plus frais, rural et montagneux © Terra Panama


A Destination That Continues to Evolve

For adventurous travelers, the Santa Catalina region opens the door to Coiba National Park. A day at sea allows you to explore its underwater world through scuba diving or snorkeling, in a biodiversity-rich setting with 760 fish species and 33 species of sharks. It is also possible to organize hikes in the park to observe its wildlife and plant life. Formerly a penitentiary colony until 2004, the island was long sheltered from human activity, contributing to the richness of its ecosystems. To extend the experience, an on-site overnight stay can be considered as part of a suitable circuit, subject to park access conditions, now classified as UNESCO World Heritage.

For travelers with very specific interests, a bespoke approach can go much further. We have thus designed an experience around dendrobatidae (poison-dart frogs of the region) for a particular request: it required choosing the place, the guide, and the observation time, rather than just slotting a standard fauna outing into the program. This type of activity is prepared with our providers case by case beforehand to ensure smooth execution. It’s the kind of project we enjoy building with an agency when its client arrives with a well-defined passion.

For travelers with disabilities, adaptation begins before designing the stay. We construct experiences that can be tailored to individual needs, whether it’s mobility, pace, or the way of participating. We coordinate in advance with the agency and our providers to verify welcoming conditions and possible adaptations, in order to offer an accessible and authentic experience.

For a couple seeking a luxury journey, the exceptional lies in experiences you cannot have on a standard trip: a private, passionate naturalist guide to explore a territory in complete privacy, a night in an extraordinary location, or a day with no set schedule. Luxury then translates into meticulous attention to every detail, high-quality service, and the hospitality of our hosts, all contributing to a truly unique stay.


Au large de la côte pacifique, Coiba dévoile un monde préservé entre îles sauvages et eaux cristallines © Terra Panama


A Destination That Continues to Evolve

En août 2026, le Panama a lancé sa nouvelle marque pays, « Panamá, Anfitrión del Mundo », qui réunit tourisme, culture, investissement, exportation et durabilité dans une même démarche. Un projet de loi qui a pour but d’ encourager les investissements touristiques a également été présenté en septembre 2026. Depuis la fin de la crise sanitaire, le Panama est de plus en plus visité avec une croissance de près de 10% chaque année, passant de 2 millions en 2022, à 3 millions de voyageurs en 2025.

Pour nous, ces changements ne remplacent pas la connaissance quotidienne du terrain. Ils nous donnent seulement de nouvelles possibilités : une région qui devient plus facile à découvrir, ou un acteur local qui développe une activité. Nous continuons à parcourir le Panama parce qu’il nous surprend encore. C’est ainsi que nous pouvons construire des voyages véritablement adaptés aux attentes de chaque agence et de ses clients, tout en assurant leur bon déroulement et leur suivi une fois les voyageurs sur place.


Dans la canopée panaméenne, le singe hurleur se laisse parfois apercevoir entre les feuillages © Terra Panama



Terra Panama : le sur-mesure prend forme sur le terrain
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ECTAA: Key Issues Set to Shape Europe’s Autumn Agenda


Eric Drésin, secrétaire général de l’ECTAA, fait le point sur les dossiers à suivre - Photo ECTAA

MSC Croisières


After the summer break, the ECTAA (European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators) returns to work.

In its briefcase, several dossiers to monitor in the coming months. One of the first tasks concerns the implementation of the new directive on package travel.

The text has now crossed the European stage and enters its phase of transposition in the Member States. The European Commission specifies that countries have 28 months to transpose the new rules into their national law, before a six-month entry into force later.

To read: CEI, refunds, packages… what the European directive officially published changes!

The text must thus be transposed no later than September 29, 2028 to enter into force on March 29, 2029.



Package Travel Directive: Avoiding Over-Transposition

« We are in the transition phase for implementation, for transposition », explains Eric Drésin, secretary-general of the European association.

The ECTAA works with its national professional associations to monitor how the text will be rolled out in each country. « We start with the less hot dossiers», he summarizes, with one objective: to prevent compromises reached at the European level from being questioned at the national level.

If the new directive ultimately does not impose a general limitation on prepayments, member states still have limited room for maneuver.

« There is no obligation to limit prepayments, it’s clear, and we’ve managed to rule that out », recalls Eric Drésin. « But if the member states want, they can. » Vigilance is therefore required to avoid the risk of over-transposition. « There, we really want to tighten the screws to avoid this situation. »

The first country to tackle the transposition is Finland, where the ECTAA is expected as early as next week.


Air Passenger Rights: the problem of Intermediation Fees

Another particularly sensitive dossier: the revision of air passenger rights. A political agreement was reached this summer on revising the European framework. The European Commission indicates that the new regime must still be formally adopted and published before it applies, with a delay of 12 months after its publication.

For travel agencies and other intermediaries, one point crystallizes the concerns: refunds in the event of a flight cancellation.

« When a flight is canceled the travel agency will be obliged to reimburse its intermediary fees », explains Eric Drésin. And on this point, the legislative fight is now over: «There is nothing more we can do in the legislation. »

The ECTAA therefore intends to shift the debate to the realm of B2B relations.

The European association has denounced the «disproportionate impact» of these new rules on independent intermediaries and argues that intermediary fees remunerate a service distinct from that of the carrier.


Passenger Package : the dossier to watch closely

But the dossier that could monopolize a large part of the European agenda in the coming months is undoubtedly the Passenger Package, presented in May last.

The package includes three legislative proposals dedicated notably to rail ticketing, to multimodal mobility services (MDMS) and to railway passenger rights. The objective stated by Brussels is to enable travelers to compare and more easily purchase journeys that combine several operators (rail, road, sea), with a single ticket and enhanced rights throughout the entire trip.

In principle, ECTAA is supportive of this evolution. But Eric Drésin points to several difficulties.

The first concerns the absence of air travel in a device presented as multimodal. « We must integrate air transport into this legislative package so that we can have a clearly multimodal and relevant offer for customers », he says.

The organization believes that the principles of access that are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) should not be limited to rail but should apply to all transport sectors whenever dominant operators impose unfair conditions on their business partners.




Sustainability: a topic that could resurface?

Finally, another topic is expected to return to the foreground: sustainability.

After having occupied an important place in sector debates in the post-Covid years, the issue seemed to have faded from view. For Eric Drésin, the events of this summer could however revive the discussions.

« The question of sustainable travel, of sustainability in our sector, had somewhat disappeared from the news », he notes. But «this summer raised so many questions that it will come back onto the table ».

According to him, national associations could ask the ECTAA to act more on this topic…

Jans Tours Invites Travel Professionals to IFTM 2026 to Shape Tomorrow’s Travel Across Four Destinations


© Jans Tours

Hurtigruten


IFTM: three days to reconnect and prepare for 2027

A few weeks ahead of IFTM Top Resa, Jans Tours is gearing up to reconnect with its partners and tourism professionals for three days of meetings and exchanges.

For the receptive side, the trade show provides a privileged moment to take time to discuss upcoming projects, present new offerings, and share the latest inspirations from local teams.

As journeys for 2027 are already being planned, traveler expectations are evolving too: more personalization, new experiences, itineraries that depart from the classics, lesser-known addresses, and programs tailored to specific clienteles — topics that can be discussed directly with Jans Tours teams.

The objective is simple: to engage with professionals, understand their needs and collaboratively build the upcoming journeys for their clients.


Four destinations, four ways of traveling

This year, Jans Tours arrives at IFTM with four destinations to present to industry professionals: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Switzerland.

Four distinct realms, but a single approach: a strong local presence and teams that know their destinations from the inside out.

Indonesia remains at the heart of Jans Tours’ DNA. Bali, Java, Lombok, Sumatra, Komodo—these regions enable the creation of very diverse journeys, from a first-time visit to Indonesia to more hidden itineraries and tailored experiences.

In the Philippines, the team also guides professionals in building programs that blend islands, beaches, nature, encounters, and local experiences. A destination still full of opportunities to move beyond the most classical itineraries.

Malaysia continues to grow within the group. With its office in Kuala Lumpur, Jans Tours can rely on a locally based team to design programs aligned with travelers’ expectations and the needs of professionals.

And then, there is Switzerland.


A new destination joins the Jans Tours family

It’s one of the major novelties of this 2026 edition: Jans Tours expands its playing field with the opening of its office in Switzerland.

After Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, this new presence marks another milestone in the group’s development.

Jans Tours Switzerland is now fully operational on the ground and completes Jans Tours’ international network.

The destination opens up new possibilities for professionals: individual trips, group departures, incentives, premium stays, or tailor-made itineraries can be crafted around Switzerland’s diverse landscapes and experiences.

From the Alps to the lakes, cities to villages, gastronomy to scenic railway experiences, Switzerland offers a particularly rich playground for designing bespoke programs.

And above all, as with its Asian destinations, Jans Tours relies on local knowledge and close relationships with professionals.

So, even if the Jans Tours stand is located in the Asia space, Swiss projects are, of course, welcome!


© Getty Images Pro


An international team gathered in Paris

For this edition of IFTM, several Jans Tours team members will travel to Paris.

Anthony, Audrey, Eva and Lucie from the France office will be on hand to welcome professionals and discuss their projects.

Also present will be Geoffrey, Rudi and Benjamin, directly from the Indonesia office, as well as Sylvain, representing the Malaysia office.

An international team that will allow visitors to meet both their usual contacts in France and the teams based directly at the destinations.

Because this is also Jans Tours’ hallmark: behind every program there are local teams who know the ground realities, partners, new offerings, and experiences truly worth presenting to travelers. There is also a France-based office, with dedicated contacts, enabling French-language exchanges and close, on-site support, without time-zone constraints.

IFTM will thus be an opportunity to (re)put faces to these teams, and to take time to discuss beyond emails and quote requests.


Malaysia featured at a second pavilion

Jans Tours will also be present at the pavilion of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, stand A014.

A complementary presence that will allow professionals to come and discuss the destination, its novelties, and programming possibilities.

Malaysia indeed offers numerous options for building journeys that combine major highlights with more intimate experiences. With its local team based in Kuala Lumpur, Jans Tours continues developing this destination with agencies and tour operators.

Professionals will therefore be able to find Jans Tours at two different spots in the show, depending on their needs and projects.


© Pexels


Meetings from September 15 to 17 in Paris



Jans Tours donne rendez-vous aux professionnels à l’IFTM 2026 pour préparer les voyages de demain autour de 4 destinations

Audrey Marc

Deputy Director, France

+ 33 6 70 54 20 63

+ 33 1 61 30 30 06

[email protected]

jans.tours

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