Holidays to Panama have rocketed since the case of canoe man John Darwin hit the headlines.

The publicity surrounding the central American country has put Panama firmly to the forefront of travellers thinking of visiting the region.

And the rise in interest has co-incided with the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace, which was partly filmed in Panama and is due for release on October 31.

The biggest tour operator to the region, Journey Latin America, reports that its sales to Panama have increased by 249 per cent in the past 12 months.

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Background

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It means that Panama has overtaken more traditional travel destinations such as Guatemala. "Costa Rica still leads the way in that region, but Panama is catching up," said JLA spokesman Tim Murray Walker.

A court was told last week that the Darwins bought property and land in Panama with a view to creating an eco-lodge - one of the key attractions of the country is its mix of cloudforest, rainforest and two coastlines - the Caribbean and Pacific.

Canoe-wife Anne Darwin was quoted saying that their slice of paradise in Panama “had much more to offer than I originally thought…with streams, ravines, beautiful butterflies and poison dart frogs…”.

Now interest in Panama has been fuelled by the Bond film, which includes scenes shot in Panama City’s Casco Viejo (Old Town), while the ruins of Noriega’s notorious “Officers and Troops Club” were transformed into a glamorous venue for a cocktail party.

At the other end of the Panama Canal, filming took place in the precarious, old wooden buildings of Colón (representing Haiti) and on a private island off the Caribbean coast.

JLA is cashing in on Panama's new found fame by offering a “Bond in Panama” itinerary, which includes three nights at the Canal House (where Daniel Craig stayed), tour of the Casco Viejo, half-day transit of the Canal; and time at “Bond-style” lodges on the Caribbean and in the rainforest - the package last eight nights and costs from £2,372 pp, including flights.

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