I must admit that before we attended the conference, we would never have considered going to an event like this.
But now that we went. I definitely see the value in it.
We always encourage people to make sure that Panama is right for them BEFORE moving down. Which means you must do 2 critical things:
1) Visit Panama
2) Discover the good and the bad of life in Panama
Attending this conference allows you to quickly discover if Panama is right for you.
Many people waste so much time researching Panama online. Then when they finally come down to visit they discover it doesn't feel right or the facts they found on the Internet were not true.
Also attending the conference keeps you from procrastinating.
Buying tickets to this conference means you really will go to Panama. Instead of saying you will visit Panama "some day", you can say "I'm going to Panama in February 2018".
Then you can have fun mapping out your trip so you can explore your favorite spots in Panama while you are in the country.
The Live & Invest Panama Conference is an information smorgasbord on Panama.
There are presentations by bankers, attorneys, visa specialists, insurance folks, property experts, and tax advisors, shippers, property managers, experienced and successful investors and business owners. As well as people like Reyn & me. People who have lived in Panama and can share their experience and advice.
I was especially relieved by the fact that they didn't ask us to sugar coat any of our Panama advice & insights. We could say anything we wanted. And we did. And we will.
Even after 10+ years living in Panama I learned things at the conference.
Find out more about this Panama conference. Including a detailed program of events and more.
In my opinion, one of the most valuable parts of the conference were the social gatherings.
Come armed with all your questions. Some you will come down to Panama with, and some will be prompted by that day's presentations.
A great time to ask those questions is during one of the twice daily snack breaks or at one of the evening events.
Most of the speakers also attend these events. So you can ask your insurance, cost of living, or any other question you may have. Of course, you can also ask questions at the end of each speaker's presentation, but I find you solicit different types of information at these more informal social gatherings.
Also, you will get to mingle and get to know others who are also considering a move to Panama. You can learn a lot from these fellow travelers, and even become friends.
Of course, it is not like you won't get products marketed to you.
The snack food table is surrounded by vendors marketing a range of Panama-related items.
And of course, many of the speakers have their own products they'd like you to consider. Furthermore, the owners of Live & Invest Overseas, Lief Simon and Kathleen Peddicord, market their own real estate development on the Azuero Peninsula during the conference.
But none of it seems like a hard sell.
LIOS markets this conference much more strongly than what you will experience at the conference itself.
Check out what LIOS says about why you should attend this conference.
We really liked the hotel where the conference was held last time. It had amazing customer service.
But this year's hotel seems even better. It is in Casco Viejo (Old Town). It is Panama's first hotel. It opened it's doors in 1874. President Teddy Roosevelt stayed there.
It doesn't have an imaginative name: Central Hotel Panama. But its French-influenced design was recognized by UNESCO.
Check out its website, and you will see that it is pretty luxurious. I am looking forward to staying there.
When I spoke with the attendees at the last conference, it seemed there were all sorts of discounts available for the conference.
For instance, if you are a reader or member of one of LIOS's divisions, you can save $50 or $100 or even attend the conference for free.
Find out if you qualify for a conference discount on this page.
LIOS has kindly given my readers a special discount of an additional $50 off the cost of registration.
Simply use the coupon code PANAMA50 when signing up, and you'll save an additional US$50 off the cost of registration.
In addition, the Early Bird Discount is still in effect, saving you $250 per person when you register now. That is in addition to the $50 off from using the PANAMA50 code and any other discounts you may be eligible for.
Go here to see all available discounts or to register online. If you want to get the $250/person Early Bird Dicount, I recommend doing it soon.
If you come to the conference, please let me know. Maybe we could find time to grab a beer or a cup of coffee together. It is 3 days long, so I think we could make it work.
I'd also like to know what questions you have about Panama. I am sure others have the same questions. I will try to cover them in my presentation.
I look forward to meeting you there.
Disclaimer: It won't cost you anything, but if you use one of the links above to register for the conference, I may earn a few extra bucks. So if you will be going to the conference, I would appreciate you using one of my links to register. Thank you.
If you want help setting up a tour of Panama, LIOS recommends Barefoot in Panama. A good tour organization. They are also one of the venders at the event.
However, if you want to concentrate on the Chiriqui Province, I can recommend Local Travel Excursions. (The Chiriqui Province includes theses towns: Boquete, Volcan, Boca Chica, David & Puerto Armuelles.)
It will not be as luxurious an experience as you'd have with Barefoot in Panama. However, I think it will give you a better sense of what it would be like to live in the Chiriqui Province. Karen, of Local Travel Excursions, offers a wide variety of services to people moving to or considering a move to Panama.
(FYI: Karen and I both live in the Chiriqui Province. Karen in David. My family in Puerto Armuelles.
I don't benefit financially at all if you book a tour with Karen.)
You can read what we wrote about our experience at last year's LIOS Panama conference.
