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A study of mangrove ecosystems in Playa Leona, in the district of La Chorrera (Panama Oeste province), reveals that these areas are potentially valuable due to the multiple environmental services they provide. However, the area faces increasing degradation due to uncontrolled urban development and solid waste pollution. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ecotourism potential of these mangroves and to formulate a preliminary set of action lines based on the principles of the blue economy, actively integrating the local community. A mixed-methods approach with a descriptive-exploratory typology and a non-experimental design was used, combining field inspections with technical observation forms, document analysis, semi-structured interviews with ten key informants, and a questionnaire administered to a non-probabilistic convenience sample of 42 adult residents, whose scope is exploratory and not generalizable to the population of the district. Quantitative results show that 69% of respondents recognize the area's tourism potential and express willingness to participate in local conservation committees; the thematic analysis of the interviews convergently records a shared perception of declining fish catches associated with mangrove degradation, and an understanding of the ecosystem centered on its subsistence uses. It is concluded that the implementation of a well-managed community-based ecotourism model constitutes a viable alternative to diversify local income, promote ecological restoration and strengthen the socio-environmental resilience of the territory against anthropogenic pressures.
