With an attendance of 20,000 national and international visitors, World of Coffee Panama 2026 successfully concluded three days of activities at the Panama Convention Center, positioning the country as a meeting point for the global specialty coffee industry and demonstrating its capacity to attract major international events.

The first World of Coffee event held in Latin America brought together coffee producers, buyers, roasters, baristas, entrepreneurs and industry professionals from around the world for a programme of trade exhibitions, international competitions, conferences, knowledge-sharing and business networking.

According to preliminary registration data, nearly half (48.6%) of registrants who identified their country of origin were from outside Panama, particularly Colombia, Costa Rica, the United States and Nicaragua. The event’s reach extended across five continents: exhibitors and World Barista Championship participants represented countries including Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, Norway and Lithuania.

The event’s global scale was also reflected in more than 400 people associated with the World Barista Championship. This brought together coffee professionals from major producing regions, including Latin America, and consumer markets in Asia, Europe and North America, encouraging knowledge exchange, business connections and greater international exposure for Panama’s coffee industry.

According to Aurelio Barría Pino, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP), the event’s results show how Panama can turn its competitive advantages into tangible opportunities.

“Panama has shown that it can bring the world together and create opportunities for people to connect and do business. Making an event like this happen takes hard work, coordination and confidence in what we can achieve together. We are proud to have helped make it a reality. What matters most now is turning the connections made here into new opportunities for our producers, businesses and the national economy,” Barría said.

Ricardo Koyner, president of the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), said the event represented a milestone for Panamanian coffee growing and an opportunity to strengthen its position in international markets.

“For many years, we have worked to ensure that the world recognizes and values our coffee. This time, we had the opportunity to welcome representatives of major producing and consumer markets to Panama, including countries across Asia, Europe and North America. It is a tremendous opportunity to open more doors for Panamanian coffee, particularly our Geisha, and to build on the trade relationships we have developed over the years,” Koyner said.

One of the highlights of the event’s closing day was the final of the 2026 World Barista Championship, a prestigious competition that brought leading international baristas to Panama to showcase their skill, creativity, expertise and mastery of coffee preparation.

Pan Wei representing the Competition Body of China, claimed the 2026 World Barista Champion title.

Panama also delivered a strong showing. Benjamín Roque advanced to the semifinals, finishing among the world’s top 16 competitors—an achievement that highlights the talent and dedication of the country’s barista community.

Hosting the championship provided an international platform for coffee culture, celebrated the excellence of the world’s top baristas, and further strengthened Panama’s standing in the specialty coffee industry.

Beyond its international visibility, World of Coffee Panama 2026 generated opportunities for tourism, hospitality, gastronomy, transportation and other services. Accommodation information provided through event registrations offers an indication of the international presence, but does not, on its own, constitute a comprehensive measure of the event’s economic impact.

Based on preliminary registration data, international visitors accounted for approximately 72% of those who reported staying in hotels. The data also indicated an average stay of 6.5 days in Panama, underscoring the potential of meetings and events tourism to support economic activity across multiple sectors.

The event also reaffirmed the organizers’ commitment to communities affected by the 9 October earthquake.

To support relief and assistance for affected families, organizers announced that US$25,000.00 will be donated to the Panamanian Red Cross.

“From the outset, we knew an event of this scale should also make a meaningful contribution to our communities. At difficult times, solidarity must go hand in hand with our efforts to strengthen the economy. This donation shows that when we work together, we can create opportunities while also extending a helping hand to those who need it most,” Barría added.

“Coffee has taught us that the best results come from working together. The same spirit of collaboration that made it possible to welcome the world to Panama now allows us to support people facing difficult circumstances. We want World of Coffee to leave a legacy that goes beyond business and translates into solidarity with Panamanian families who need our support,” Koyner said.

World of Coffee Panama 2026 was organized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), in strategic partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP).

The event reinforced Panama’s potential as a destination for international gatherings and created new opportunities for collaboration, trade and innovation throughout the coffee industry.

Beyond attendance figures, the event’s lasting impact will be measured by the business relationships formed, knowledge shared and opportunities developed as a result of this gathering.

Specialty Coffee Association CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos said “Bringing World of Coffee to Panama for the very first time has been a proud moment for the Specialty Coffee Association and our global community. Panama is one of the world’s most celebrated coffee origins, but its role in the value chain goes far beyond the farm. As a business and innovation hub at the crossroads of the Americas, Panama connects producers, roasters, traders and entrepreneurs across Latin America and beyond, and the relationships built here this week are ones we are committed to growing for years to come.

Hosting the World Barista Championship in Panama was especially meaningful. It brought the world’s best baristas to the heart of a producing region, closer to the farms and communities where great coffee begins. We congratulate every competitor who took the stage, representing their countries with skill, creativity and passion, and showing the world what specialty coffee can be at its finest.”