Panamanian tour operators like Ángelo Paredes from Turista Internacional, Augusto Terracina from Aventuras 2000 and Enrique Pesantez from Pesantez Tours consider the Craft Center in Old Panama to be an important addition to the city tours.

Paredes pointed out that 50 artisans and their folk products from across the country can be brought together in one place, while other operators noted that the building is attractive, well-ventilated and naturally lit, with bathrooms and facilities equipped for handicapped visitors. “The artisans are accommodated on two levels, and dozens of tourists can be very well distributed within the space.”

The Craft Center can be easily visited by those who come daily to the Old Panama Monumental Center, the historic site recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

The Craft Center houses the office of the Crafts Department of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on the third floor. Shopping in Panama attracts thousands of tourists, and handicrafts are part of this attraction.

In the first ten months of 2012, from January to October, tourists in Panama spent $1,856,000, an increase of 18.7% from the previous year. By the end of 2012, the country is expected to receive 2.2 million visitors.