Between December 2019 and the same month of 2020, the number of employees contributing to Social Security decreased 3%, a fall that is explained by the economic crisis generated by the outbreak of covid-19.
Official data show that Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango and Guatemala were the most affected departments, as the drop in the number of contributors in these regions amounted to 9%, 7% and 4.5%, respectively.
If the international prices of bananas, coffee, sugar and palm oil do not improve, and if combined with a global economic recession, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador could stop exporting as much as $2.268 million altogether in 2021.
According to the report "Proceso de integración Centroamericana del Triángulo Norte: Escenarios de riesgo en la matriz de exportación" (Central American Integration Process of the Northern Triangle: Risk Scenarios in the Export Matrix), prepared by the Asociación de Investigación de Estudios Sociales (Asíes), garment making is another activity that could be affected in the coming years.
Because the facilities do not meet minimum quality standards, 79% of registered accommodations in Guatemala are classified as not recommended.
The Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT) reported that most hostels, pensions, small hotels and other hotel facilities in the country are considered as not recommended because "they do not meet quality standards and are not suitable for domestic and foreign tourists to visit."
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