IX. Business Travel A. Business Customs Most business is conducted in Guatemala based on personal relationships. Guatemalan business executives and government officials place great importance on personal contacts with suppliers. U.S. suppliers should be prepared to have a local representative or distributor and to travel to Guatemala personally. Travelers often are surprised at the accessibility to key decision makers and by the openness and frankness of local buyers. U. S. suppliers will quickly become aware of increased foreign competition in Guatemala. Foreign competitors are extremely aggressive. U.S. executives interested in pursuing business in Guatemala should approach local business persons in the same manner they approach prized clients in the United States. Suppliers should be prepared to explain how their products and services will complement existing products and systems. Promotional material should be in Spanish and emphasize U.S. origin. Though many private and public officials speak and read English, many technicians and engineers do not. Guatemalans are extremely receptive to technical presentations that are educational rather than sales oriented. B. Travel Advisory and Visas Entry requirements: A passport is required for travel into Guatemala. A visa is required if an official or diplomatic passport is used. If a tourist passport is used, a tourist card good for thirty days can be purchased locally at La Aurora International Airport or at the port of embarkation in the U.S. for US$5.00 is US currency only. A visa is required for any stay over thirty days. Visas are available from the Guatemalan Embassy at 2220 R Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, tel: (202) 745- 4952, or Guatemalan consulates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Houston or Chicago. U.S. citizens travelling to Guatemala should contact the Department of State in Washington, D.C., tel: (202) 647-5225 for travel information and to find out if there is a Travel Warning in effect for the country at the time of travel. C. Holidays Holidays in Guatemala are keyed to dates, not days of the month or week (except for Holy Week). The commercial holidays for 1995 follow: New Year's Day January 1 Holy Week Holy April 12 (p.m.only) Holy Thursday April 13 Good Friday April 14 Holy Saturday April 15 Labor Day May 1 Army Day June 30 Feast of the Assumption August 15 Independence Day September 15 Revolution Day October 20 All Saints Day November 1 Christmas Eve December 24 (p.m.only) Christmas Day December 25 New Year's Eve December 31 (p.m.only) In addition, the banking sector celebrates the following holidays: Bank Workers's Day July 1 Columbus Day October 12 Business travelers should avoid arriving in Guatemala on a holiday, if possible, because of the unpredictability of transportation and other services, especially during the Holy Week, when almost everything is shut down. D. Business Infrastructure Language: Spanish is the official language in Guatemala. Many firms are accustomed to working in English. However, correspondence should be in Spanish. Catalogs and technical literature should be provided in careful translations. Currency: The official currency unit is the Quetzal. The exchange rate as of August 1, 1994, is approximately Q5.68 to US$1.00. The exchange rate fluctuates. Currency exchange facilities are available at the airport terminal. Major credit cards are accepted at the main hotels and restaurants. Business hours: Business hours for commercial and industrial firms are from 09:00 to 18:00, Monday through Friday. It is not unusual for offices and businesses to be closed from 12:30 to 14:30 or 13:00 to 15:00 for lunch. Transportation: Taxi transportation facilities exist between the airport and hotels. Travelers arriving at La Aurora International Airport should only hire vehicles marked clearly as taxis and bearing a registration number on the left and right side doors. The taxi fare from airport to hotel is approximately US$6.80 or Q40.00. Travellers should negotiate the price before stepping into the cab. Use of taxis within the city is strongly preferred as public bus transportation is not up to U.S. standards. Taxis are available at the hotels and if transportation is required from a company or restaurant to the hotel or other place, a taxi should be requested by phone. Taxis are not available in the streets. Communications: Telephone communications are easily available in Guatemala City. Generally, calls can be placed to the U.S. without any problem. Calls can be placed through the hotel operator, or directly with AT&T, MCI, or Sprint calling cards, or collect. Housing: There are several options of accommodation in Guatemala City, from 4/5-star hotels, to apart-hotels, smaller but good hotels. Most U.S. businesspersons prefer hotel reservations in Zones 9, 10 or 13, i.e., El Camino Real, Fiesta, Pan American. Health: A full range of modern medical care is available in Guatemala City, but medical care outside of the city is limited. Care in private hospitals is generally adequate for the most common illnesses and injuries. Cholera is present in Guatemala and hepatitis A is endemic. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers often find that supplementary medical insurance with specific overseas coverage is useful. Additional health information may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at (404)332-4559. Food: Guatemala has excellent restaurants and a variety of gourmet delights. Business persons should eat their meals at their hotels or in one of the many modern clean restaurants. Improperly washed or cooked foods are the principal causes of the simple diarrheas, food poisoning and bacillary and amoebic dysentery. Only well-cooked foods served while hot are recommended, in addition to fruits and vegetables that can be peeled. It is not advisable to eat fruits or raw vegetables with a broken skin and which have not been well washed and peeled or skinned. Beverages: It is advisable to drink bottled drinking water or one of the well-known brands of carbonated drinks. These can be obtained at the hotel, restaurants or in supermarkets and mini- markets. Climate: Guatemala is at 5000 feet and has a temperate climate; spring/fall weight clothing is most comfortable. Crime: The main security threat in Guatemala is street crime. It is advisable not to wear valuable jewelry nor carry large amounts of cash. Leave valuables in the hotel's safe deposit box. It is generally accepted advice not to resist a would-be thief or mugger. If interested in visiting restaurants/nightspots in other zones of the city, it is convenient to do it with others and obtain taxis from the hotel front desk. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.