IX. BUSINESS TRAVEL Business Customs It is unwise to come to Venezuela on a business visit without a planned schedule arranged from home. Key Venezuelan business players are not normally available on short notice. U.S. companies interested in selling to the Venezuelan Government should note that, according to Venezuelan law, all correspondence must be in Spanish. Companies that write to a government agency in English will probably not receive a reply. Government officials are not permitted to conduct official business in any other language than Spanish. Venezuelan importers prefer to buy directly from the manufacturer, instead of going through intermediaries. U.S. exporters that are not manufacturers should try to associate themselves closely with a manufacturer, whenever possible, so that they will be perceived as the export division or exclusive export representative. Personal contact is very important for successful selling: in Venezuela, correspondence is not sufficient. Weekends and holidays are generally off-limits for business meetings with Venezuelans; these times are reserved for family. Travel Advisory and Visas To obtain a Venezuelan business visa you should contact nearest Venezuelan Consulate. Visitors with business visas are required to pay local income taxes if their stay in the country goes beyond 180 days. All visitors are required to pay an exit tax of 2,800 Bs. Holiday Schedule for FY 1995 Following is a list of the official Venezuelan Government holidays. There are also many bank holidays, where businesses remain open although banks are closed. Date Day Holiday Oct 12 Thursday Columbus Day Dec 25 Monday Christmas Day Feb 27 Monday Carnival * Feb 28 Tuesday Carnival * April 13 Thursday Good Thursday * April 14 Friday Good Friday * April 19 Wednesday Signing of Independence Date Day Holiday May 1 Monday Labor Day July 5 Wednesday Independence Day July 24 Monday Bolivar's Birthday In addition to the holidays listed above Maracaibo, Estado Zulia, will observe the following regional holidays: Date Day Holiday Oct 24 Tuesday General Urdaneta's Birthday Nov 18 Saturday Chiquinquira's Virgin Day * Dates vary year to year. Infrastructure: Transportation. Public transportation in Caracas consists of buses, the metro (subway), taxis and collective taxis called "Por Puestos", although businessmen are most likely to use taxis or the Metro. All mass transit is overcrowded during the morning and evening rush hours. Taxis are available by telephone, at stands located in hotels and at other points in major cities, and can be hailed on the street. There are certain surcharges for late hours, Sundays, national holidays, for telephoned taxi pick-up. Although tipping taxi drivers is not necessary in Venezuela, many people do add change to the fare, especially for help with luggage and suitcases. A special fare for taxi service at major hotels has been decreed by the National Tourism Office, and runs about 50 percent higher than average street fares. Taxis serving hotels must maintain higher appearance standards, as well as offer air conditioning. They can also be hired for the day, by prior agreement with the hotel. There are several taxi companies in Caracas that operate a radio- controlled pick-up service. Be prepared to give your name, address and telephone number to the taxi center operator. Wait on the telephone until she can tell you how long it will take for the taxi to arrive at the pick-up point. If there are no available taxis cruising in your area, you will be advised to call again in 5 minutes. During the morning rush hour, at mid- day and again in the early evening, it can be extremely difficult to find a taxi. The Metro is open Monday through Sunday from 5:30 a.m to 11:00 pm., and offers a cheap, efficient alternative to taxis. Existing lines are limited, primarily running east-west through the city. Many foreign airlines serve Venezuela, most through Caracas, and a few through Maracaibo. Domestic flights are available to almost all towns of any size. Language. Spanish is the official language of the country. Executives speak English. Communications. Local mail service is not dependable and important correspondence should not be sent by mail. International courier service should only be used for papers and documents and not include anything else or it will be delayed by Venezuelan customs. Most correspondence is by fax. Messenger delivery is frequently used within Caracas and other large cities in lieu of the mail (for correspondence, invitations to receptions, etc). Important papers and documents can be sent via international courier (such as DHL or Federal Express, and more recently, UPS) and are usually received in Caracas within a few days. International courier use should be limited to papers and documents, however, and not contain anything else. If a package contains other items such as a large supply of brochures, a product sample, a cassette tape, etc. the package is likely to be delayed by Venezuelan customs (especially if the items are not declared). Although the telephone system is improving, it is still difficult to make a phone call in Venezuela and get through. (Surprisingly, it is sometimes easier to make an overseas call than to reach someone across the street). The signal one hears can be misleading. A busy signal does not necessarily mean that the party you are calling is using the phone, nor a ringing sound that the other phone is actually ringing. Frequently lines get crossed and one reaches someone else, although one dials the correct number. Not all exchanges have been digitized, so touch- tone phones cannot be used in some areas of the country. When direct-dialing a Venezuelan telephone number from the United States, dial 011, country code 58, and the city code before the phone number. The city code will be a one-or two-digit number with no zeros in front of it. For example, to call Caracas, dial 011-58-2-XXX-XXXX. When calling long distance within Venezuela, dial a zero, followed by the city code and the telephone number. If you were calling Caracas from Maracaibo while in Venezuela, for instance, you would dial 02-XXX-XXXX. There are variations in the amount of digits used in Venezuelan phone numbers. For example, both of the following are Caracas phone numbers: 34-8345 and 238-4569. Several large cities outside Caracas still use 5-digit numbers. It can be very difficult to locate telephone numbers for individuals (or businesses) in Venezuela who rent properties, since telephones are listed under the names of the owners. Also, when one moves, there is no telephone recording indicating that the party can be reached at another number. U.S. companies should note that Venezuela does not have Daylight Savings Time. The time is the same as on the U.S. East Coast from April 5 to October 25 and one hour later the rest of the year. When attempting to contact someone in Venezuela, it is useful to know usual hours of operation: a) Offices... (Mon-Fri) 8:30-12:30 and 2:30-6:00 b) Stores.... (Mon-Sat) 9:00-12:30 and 3:00-7:00 c) Factories. (Mon-Fri) 7:30- 4:30 (often closed for vacation December 15 - January 15) Newspapers Newspapers are a very effective medium for advertising a product and attracting an audience to an event (such as a trade show or trade mission). Caracas has many daily newspapers. "El Universal" and "El Nacional" are the most widely read. There is an English language daily--"The Daily Journal", which often carries ads for imported products that would appeal to foreigners residing in Venezuela. Housing There are only three "five star" hotels in Caracas. Stars are awarded by the Venezuelan Government, and do not correspond to any international standards. For those with a tolerance for lower levels of service, or on a budget, four star hotels are available at much lower rates. Following is a list of the main hotels in Caracas: Hotel Tamanaco Intercontinental Las Mercedes Tel: (582)91-4555 Fax: (582)208-7004 Hotel Eurobuilding Calle La Guairita Chuao Tel: (582)907-1111 Fax: (582)907-2189 Hotel Caracas Hilton El Conde Tel: (582)503-5000 Fax: (582)503-5003 Health Most medicines and antibiotics are available over the counter in Venezuelan pharmacies. However, if you are required to take a specific medication, you should bring a supply with you. There are several good private clinics in Caracas. Government- owned hospitals are generally underfunded and overcrowded. In the event of a medical emergency, call the U.S. Embassy American Citizen Services section at 285 2222 or 3111, extension 375. Food Caracas has a variety of excellent restaurants offering a variety of foreign cuisines. The food at these restaurants is generally safe to eat, although visitors should avoid fresh, unpeeled vegetables and lettuce. Bottled water is available by request in all hotels and restaurants, and should be drunk rather than tap water, even in hotels which say their water is filtered.