Hector, you were born in Haiti, built your expertise in Panama’s tourism sector, and then founded Live Folks in 2018. How did this multicultural and on-the-ground experience naturally lead you toward digital and community‑driven event entrepreneurship in the MICE and group travel space?
Growing up in Haiti taught me the importance of resilience, meaningful relationships, and the value of belonging to a community. Those early experiences shaped the way I see people and the way I approach business today. When I entered Panama's tourism industry, I immersed myself in every aspect of the visitor experience, working directly with travelers, local communities, tour guides, hotels, transportation providers, and tourism organizations. Being on the ground gave me a unique perspective not just on how tourism operates, but on what truly makes travel meaningful. I realized that travel is about far more than visiting beautiful places or checking destinations off a list. It's about the connections people make, the stories they share, and the relationships they build with the people and communities they encounter.
In 2018, I founded LIVE FOLKS because I saw an opportunity to offer something beyond traditional tours. I wanted to build experiences that connect people with Panama's culture, people, and hidden gems while maintaining high standards of service and trust.
As the company grew, I noticed that travelers, corporate groups, and organizations were looking for more than sightseeing. They wanted opportunities to connect, collaborate, celebrate, and build relationships. That naturally led us toward group travel and the MICE sector, where experiences become a platform for networking, team building, education, and business growth.
At the same time, digital platforms transformed how people discover destinations and communities. Today, technology allows us to bring people together long before they arrive and keep those relationships alive long after they leave. For me, digital tools are not a replacement for human connection they're an extension of it. They help us create engaged communities around shared experiences, whether it's a corporate incentive trip, an industry event, or an international group exploring Panama together.
My multicultural journey has shown me that meaningful experiences happen when different cultures, perspectives, and people come together. That's the philosophy behind LIVE FOLKS and the direction we're continuing to grow.
Live Folks operates at the crossroads of receptive tourism and corporate events. Concretely, how do you blend physical experiences in Panama (tours, incentive trips, corporate retreats) with digital and community elements before, during, and after the event to keep participants genuinely engaged?
At LIVE FOLKS, we believe an event shouldn't begin when participants arrive in Panama, nor should it end when they board their flight home. Our goal is to create a complete journey before, during, and after the experience.
Before the event, we use digital communication to prepare participants with travel information, personalized recommendations, cultural insights, and clear expectations. This helps reduce uncertainty while building excitement before they even arrive.
During the event, technology supports the experience rather than replacing it. We coordinate logistics, provide real-time communication, share updates when needed, and encourage participants to capture and share their experiences. But the real focus is on authentic, face-to-face connections whether that's during an incentive trip, a corporate retreat, or a cultural experience in Panama.
After the event is where community becomes especially important. We stay connected with participants by sharing photos, highlights, memories, and future opportunities to travel or reconnect. We also collect feedback, because every event teaches us how to improve the next one. We want people to leave with lasting relationships, not just great pictures.
As LIVE FOLKS continues to grow in the MICE and group travel sector, we're investing even more in digital tools that strengthen engagement before, during, and after each event. Our vision is to combine Panama's authentic experiences with technology that helps people build meaningful professional and personal connections that last well beyond the event itself.
You work closely with local guides and small businesses, and you also use global digital platforms like TripAdvisor, Inside Travel, and TourHQ. Can you walk us through a specific event or group experience where you successfully activated an online community around a local ecosystem, and what you learned from it?
That's an interesting question because our approach is a little different from building our own online community. Instead, we leverage existing travel communities and trusted digital ecosystems where people are already researching destinations and looking for reliable local expertise.
Many of our guests discover LIVE FOLKS directly through search engines, where they find us because of the reputation we've built over time. That visibility is reinforced by reviews from fellow travelers, hosted reviews on our own website, travel articles, directories, and platforms like TripAdvisor and TourHQ. These channels create trust before a traveler ever contacts us.
While we use platforms like TripAdvisor primarily for distributing our day tours and TourHQ for customized travel packages, we prefer to establish a direct relationship with travelers as early as possible. The only exception is when a traveler books one of our day tours through an Online Travel Agency (OTA). In those cases, we keep all communication and support within the platform whenever possible. This ensures transparency and keeps the traveler, the platform, and our team aligned throughout the booking and travel experience. On other platforms, however, where travelers simply discover us or submit an inquiry without completing a booking, we manage all communication, planning, and support directly. That allows us to build a more personal relationship while designing an experience tailored to their interests and expectations.
A good example is when we organize a private group itinerary or a corporate retreat in Panama. Although the initial inquiry may come through a search engine or an online platform, every experience is built around our local ecosystem. We collaborate with independent guides, family-owned businesses, transportation providers, restaurants, and cultural partners to create authentic experiences that directly benefit local communities.
One of the biggest lessons we've learned is that digital platforms are excellent for discovery and credibility, but genuine relationships are built through direct communication and exceptional service. When guests have a memorable experience, they often return to the same digital communities by leaving reviews, sharing their stories, and recommending us to other travelers. In that way, the online ecosystem continuously feeds the local ecosystem, creating a cycle where trusted recommendations bring more visitors, and those visitors, in turn, help strengthen the reputation of both LIVE FOLKS and our local partners.
Designing tailored itineraries and corporate events for diverse international clients can be complex, especially when adding a digital and community layer (online coordination, hybrid formats, content sharing, feedback loops). What are the main operational and cultural challenges you face, and how do you practically solve them on a daily basis?
Every group is different, and that's both the challenge and the opportunity. We work with travelers and organizations from different countries, cultures, languages, and expectations, so there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.
Operationally, the biggest challenge is coordinating multiple moving parts while delivering a seamless experience. A single itinerary can involve transportation providers, hotels, local guides, restaurants, attractions, and activity operators. Everyone has to be aligned on schedules, expectations, and service standards. We solve this through careful planning, direct communication with our partners, and maintaining a trusted network of local suppliers that share our commitment to quality and reliability.
Culturally, it's about understanding that people experience travel differently. Some groups value adventure, others prioritize comfort, networking, culture, or flexibility. Before designing an itinerary, we spend time understanding our clients' objectives rather than simply offering a standard package. That allows us to create experiences that feel personal and relevant.
On the digital side, we see technology as an enabler, not the experience itself. We use digital communication to coordinate logistics, share important travel information, answer questions before arrival, and stay connected throughout the trip. After the experience, we encourage feedback and reviews, which help us continuously improve while giving future travelers confidence in choosing us.
At the end of the day, our philosophy is simple: technology should make the experience smoother, but it's the people, the local partnerships, and the authentic connections that make it memorable. When those three elements work together, the operational challenges become much easier to manage.
Many people associate digital events with something impersonal or purely virtual, yet your model relies heavily on authenticity, local culture, and sustainable tourism. How do you ensure that digital tools and online communities enhance, rather than dilute, the human and cultural dimension of your experiences in Panama?
I believe the key is understanding the role of technology. At LIVE FOLKS, digital tools are not the experience they're the bridge that connects people to the experience.
Before travelers arrive in Panama, digital channels help us educate them about the destination, answer their questions, share practical information, and set the right expectations. That preparation allows them to arrive feeling informed and ready to engage with the country rather than spending their first day trying to figure everything out.
Once we meet our guests in person, everything changes. We intentionally move away from technology and focus on genuine human interaction. We don't rely on audio guides, prerecorded commentary, or background playback to tell Panama's story. Every tour, every conversation, and every recommendation comes directly from our local guides and team members. It becomes a human-to-human experience where travelers can ask questions, have real conversations, and build authentic relationships with the people who know Panama best.
During the experience, technology stays in the background. We use it only when it helps with communication or logistics, never as a substitute for personal interaction. We want our guests talking with local guides, meeting business owners, learning about Panama's history and culture, tasting local cuisine, and engaging with the communities they visit. That's where authentic travel happens.
After the trip, digital platforms become valuable again. Travelers share reviews, hosted reviews, photos, and personal stories that inspire others to visit Panama. Those authentic experiences create a cycle of trust, where future travelers can learn from the experiences of previous guests. In many cases, people discover us through search engines because those genuine reviews and recommendations have established our credibility over time.
Sustainability is also part of this approach. By working with local guides, family-owned businesses, restaurants, artisans, and community partners, the economic benefits of tourism stay within the local ecosystem. Digital platforms simply help us tell those stories and connect responsible travelers with authentic local experiences.
Our philosophy is simple: technology helps people find us, prepare for their journey, and share their memories afterward. But when we're face to face with our guests, technology steps aside. That's when authentic human connection takes over, and that's the experience we want every traveler to remember.
As I often say, technology can introduce people to a destination, but only authentic human connections can make them fall in love with it.
Looking ahead, how do you see digital and community‑based event entrepreneurship evolving in the tourism and MICE sectors in Latin America, and what strategic shifts are you planning for Live Folks (e.g., hybrid experiences, member communities, recurring programs) to stay ahead of these changes?
I believe the future of tourism and the MICE industry in Latin America will be driven by three key elements: personalization, community, and trust.
Travelers and corporate clients are no longer looking for standardized packages. They want meaningful experiences that reflect local culture, create genuine connections, and deliver measurable value. At the same time, digital platforms will continue to influence how people discover destinations, evaluate providers, and share their experiences. That's why having a strong digital presence and a trusted reputation will become even more important.
I also believe we'll see a stronger connection between tourism and community. People don't just want to attend an event or visit a destination—they want to feel part of something, whether that's engaging with local communities, connecting with other participants, or maintaining relationships after the experience ends.
For LIVE FOLKS, our strategy is to continue strengthening our direct relationship with travelers and organizations while expanding our role as a trusted destination partner in Panama. We'll continue investing in high-quality digital content, search visibility, and online credibility through authentic reviews, hosted reviews, educational content, and expert local insights. Those digital touchpoints help travelers find us and build confidence before they ever arrive.
At the same time, we'll continue expanding our network of local partners so we can design even more personalized itineraries, incentive trips, corporate retreats, and group experiences that showcase the best of Panama while creating opportunities for local businesses and communities.
As new technologies emerge, we'll adopt them where they genuinely improve the traveler experience, communication, or operational efficiency. But we won't adopt technology simply because it's new. Every investment has to support our core philosophy of authentic, people-first travel.
Ultimately, I don't think the future belongs to companies with the most technology. I think it belongs to the companies that use technology to strengthen human relationships, build trust, and create experiences that people remember long after they've returned home. That's the direction we're taking with LIVE FOLKS.
For someone who wants to launch a digital and community‑centric event business in tourism or experiential travel—perhaps starting from scratch as you once did in Panama—what concrete, no‑nonsense advice would you give in terms of first steps, key partnerships, and common mistakes to avoid?
If I could give one piece of advice to someone starting a tourism or experiential travel business today, it would be this: before you build a business, understand the people you're building it for.
Before I founded LIVE FOLKS, I spent several years working on the ground in Panama's tourism industry as a tour guide. During that time, I wasn't just guiding tours I was observing, analyzing, and asking travelers questions. I wanted to understand what motivated them to visit Panama, what exceeded their expectations, what disappointed them, and what they truly valued. In many ways, I still do that today because travelers continue to evolve.
What I discovered is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all travel experience. Every traveler has different interests, expectations, and reasons for traveling. However, there is one thing they all have in common: when they return home, they don't simply remember the places they visited or the activities they did. They remember the people they met, the conversations they had, the stories they heard, and the emotions they experienced.
A destination can be breathtaking or ordinary, but it's the people who bring it to life. The landscapes may remain the same year after year, but authentic human connections are what transform a trip into a lasting memory. Once you truly understand that, your business decisions become much clearer because you stop selling destinations and start creating meaningful experiences.
Only after you have that foundation should you focus on building your digital presence. Create a professional website because that's your digital home. Make sure people can find you through search engines, establish credibility through genuine reviews, hosted reviews, and valuable content, and use trusted travel platforms to expand your visibility. Digital tools should help people discover you and trust you—they shouldn't define your business.
The next step is building strong local partnerships. Invest time in getting to know guides, hotels, transportation providers, restaurants, artisans, and community businesses. Those relationships become your greatest competitive advantage because they allow you to create experiences that no algorithm or booking platform can replicate.
One mistake I see many entrepreneurs make is becoming obsessed with technology while neglecting relationships. Technology changes every year. Search engines evolve, platforms come and go, and marketing trends constantly shift. But trust, authenticity, and human connection never become outdated.
That's the philosophy that shaped LIVE FOLKS. We use technology to help travelers find us, prepare for their journey, and share their experiences afterward. But once we meet our guests, everything becomes human. That's where the real experience begins.
Learn more: https://www.livefolks.com/