Transformative partnership to end Chiquita crisis, create 6,100+ jobs, and drive $5B in eco-tourism via underwater hotels and a Dubai Hamdan Harmony Runway.
In the wake of a devastating labour crisis that has seen Chiquita Panama lay off 7,000 workers in Bocas del Toro, Planet Ocean Underwater Hotels, LLC, led by visionary entrepreneur Tony Webb, is proposing a historic partnership to restore peace, create employee-owned jobs, and drive long-term prosperity.
A proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) unites Costa Rica, Panama, the Dubai Investment Development Agency (Dubai FDI), BlackRock, Inc., Emirates Airlines, Copa Airlines, the Bocas del Toro Chamber of Commerce, the Bocas Banana Cooperative, and sister cities Houma and Morgan City, Louisiana, in a vision inspired by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
The MOU, to be discussed with Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, Luis Amador Jiménez, and Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez López, on June 17, 2025, calls for a $1,000,000 investment from both Costa Rica and Panama, each receiving 20% of net profits. This 50/50 partnership will transform Bocas del Toro and a planned site in Costa Rica into global eco-tourism hubs, supported by the Hamdan Harmony Runway and a multilingual mobile app.
Addressing the Chiquita Crisis:
The recent strikes, sparked by pension reforms, have crippled Bocas del Toro’s economy, with $75 million in losses and 900,000 boxes of bananas not exported. The Planet Ocean Underwater Hotels project offers a solution by:
Creating 6,100–7,500 employee-owned jobs through the Bocas Banana Cooperative and tourism, reducing labour issues for Chiquita.
Generating $5 billion in tourism revenue by 2029, diversifying the economy and stabilizing the workforce.
Supporting Chiquita’s desire to remain in Bocas del Toro by integrating workers into a cooperative model, fostering peace and collaboration.
The Hamdan Harmony Runway: A new 12,000-foot runway in Changuinola, built on flat banana plantation land, will accommodate long-haul flights (e.g., Emirates A380s and Copa Airlines 737s), create thousands of local jobs, and position Bocas del Toro as a future spaceport by 2045. With 85% Ngäbe workforce representation and $17–$25 million reinvested into education and health, the runway ensures inclusive prosperity for Bocas del Toro and neighbouring provinces.
Global Reach through Innovation: A multilingual mobile app will promote the U.S. Patent Design movable underwater hotels, featuring the world’s most spectacular night-time plankton bioluminescence experiences, a global raffle tied to cooperative bananas, and iconic 4×4 tourism routes, driving millions of visitors to Bocas del Toro and Costa Rica.