With the strategic development of the Guatemala Country Brand, there are expectations in the business sector to jointly promote investments, exports and tourism.
A bill by the Morales administration in Guatemala proposes creating an agency that would manage issues of commercial promotion, competitiveness, investment attraction and country brand.
Representatives from the Ministry of Economy presented in Congress a proposal for a Law to create the Institute for Commercial Promotion, ProGuatemala, which would absorb the functions and staff that at the moment execute the National Program of Competitiveness.
Guatemalan exporters plan to boost their exports to Asian countries through the creation of a working table that will analyze trends of products that are in demand and company profiles.
With the aim of increasing business opportunities in Asia, the exporters' association will be working on the development of new export promotion strategies with local companies and the Taiwanese embassy.
The union of Guatemalan merchants and the embassy of Peru signed an agreement to increase trade between the two economies.
According to figures from Banco de Guatemala, in 2017 the Central American country imported $71 million worth of goods from Peru and exported $86 million worth to the South American country.
It is hoped that with approval of the agreement for the promotion and protection of investments trade and business opportunities between the two countries will increase.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala:
The Congress approved Law Decree 8-2017 "Agreement on Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments -APPRI- between Guatemala and the Republic of Turkey."
The administration of Pérez Molina has announced the upcoming opening up of a trade office in China.
From a statement issued by the Government of Guatemala:
President Otto Perez Molina said that as part of the objective of expanding trade relations and increasing Guatemalan exports to major international markets, trade with China is being promoted.
The Commercial Office of Central America CATO has a website where Central American companies can promote their products to export to the Asian island.
With the aim of promoting Central American SMEs and boosting Taiwanese investment, the Commercial Office of Central America together with the Embassy of Honduras in Taiwan has inaugurated the website www.cato.com.tw , which allows entrepreneurs in the region to showcase their products in the Taiwanese market.
As of March 7th representatives from 21 companies in Spain will be visiting the country to discuss investment opportunities with Guatemalan businessmen.
Infrastructure, communications and renewable energy are the main sectors of interest to Spanish investors. However, it is expected that this visit will also reveal possibilities for investment in projects related to transport and tourism.
In Guatemala producers and distributors of food and drinks are invited to be part of the group of companies participating in Expo ANTAD 2015, an event to be held in Mexico.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT):
The Department of Trade Promotion at AGEXPORT is inviting companies in the food and beverage sector to participate, on 18 to 20 March, in the leading event in Latin America for the retail sector, ANTAD Expo 2015 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The aim of the Guatemalan government is to increase investments made by Colombian companies in sectors such as energy, food, plastics and textile businesses.
"... The Colombian investment is one of the most important ..." for Guatemalans because not only do they have a presence in the mining sector, but also in other sectors which are important for economic development.
The government has announced the signing of an agreement to set up an office to promote trade and investment on the Asian island.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala:
"In order to have an active and permanent business presence in Hong Kong, the Minister of Economy, Sergio de la Torre, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chairman of the South-South Steering Committee for Sustainable Development SS-SCSD, Cai E'Sheng, through which the Guatemalan Office for Trade and Investment will be created in Hong Kong.
In order to promote Guatemalan products in the Spanish market, the PACIT inaugurated in Madrid its eighth office worldwide.
A report in Elperiodico.com.gt indicates that the Executive Director of the Program of Trade, Investment and Tourism in Guatemala (PACIT), Julio Orozco, said: "The opening of the office in the Spanish capital is due to an interest in representing Guatemala in Spain "as a real business opportunity and making a real impact by increasing our exports to this country and to Europe."
A workshop will be convened in June with South Korean entrepreneurs and tax incentives will be offered to their companies.
In June the government of Guatemala will convene a working group with representatives from South Korean firms in order to prepare business negotiations for allowing investments in the Central American country.
The Guatemalan Foreign Minister, Harold Caballeros, met with around 50 people from South Korean companies, including Hyundai and Daewoo, in Seoul on Friday. In another meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Caballeros talked about commerce, according to a memo from EFE as cited by Laprensa.com.ni.
At the exhibition of Chinese products, sponsored by the Ministry of Economy and local business chambers, 50 commercial firms will be involved, promoting industry and services in China.
The Third Exhibition of the Republic of China, will take place in Guatemala City from 22 to 25 September.
The event aims to promote trade between the two countries, said the exhibitions director general from the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Xu Yanbo.