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Doing business & staying in touch

Guatemalan businesspeople tend to be rather formal and conservative. Normal courtesies should be observed and appointments should be made. Punctuality is appreciated and business cards can be useful.

Office hours: 

Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1200.

Economy: 

Guatemala boasts the largest economy in Central America. Agriculture, prinicipally coffee, sugar cane and bananas, accounts for over 20% of GDP and 75% of exports. This includes non-traditional products such as cut flowers, fruit and winter vegetables.

Light manufacturing and food processing, principally aimed at the domestic, US and Central American markets, also play an important role in the economy. Additionally, the government has identified tourism as a major growth sector.

Guatemala's main trading partner is the USA. The two countries ratified the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in 2005. The agreement came into force in July 2006.

Economic growth has been steady in the past few years, with annual growth reaching 3.1% in 2005, although inflation that year rose to 9.1%. The unemployment rate was estimated as 3.2% in 2005.
Guatemala has the facilities and hotel infrastructure for conventions, conferences and business meetings. The Centro Cultural Miguel Angel Asturias and other modern conference centres are available for such events, often quite close, or accessible to Guatemala's beauty spots.

GDP: 

US$27 billion (2005).

Main exports: 

Coffee, sugar, crude oil, clothing, fruit and vegetables.

Main imports: 

Fuel, machinery and transport equipment, mineral products, chemical products and plastic materials.

Main trading partners: 

USA, El Salvador, Honduras and the EU.

Staying in touch in Guatemala

Telephone: 

Most public phone booths accept phone cards.

Mobile phone: 

Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is increasing.

Internet: 

Internet cafes are available in the main tourist areas.

Post: 

Regular airmail to Europe takes 12 days.

Media: 

Guatemala has a free press and journalists openly criticise government policies. However, they may face intimidation because of their reporting, such as anonymous threats. Media is dominated by privately-run outlets. Four of the country's national TV channels share the same owner and have been accused of being pro-government.

Press: 

• Publications include Diario Centroamérica, La Hora, El Periódico, Prensa Libre and Siglo Veintiuno.
• Central America Report is an English-language publication.

Television: 

• Canal 3 Radio-TV Guatemala, Teleonce, Televisiete and Trecevisión are commercial channels.

Radio: 

• La Voz de Guatemala is a government-owned radio station.
• Emisoras Unidas de Guatemala, Radio Continental, Radio Nuevo Mundo and Radio Panamericana are commercial stations.

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