Being a member is good business

The Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce was founded on June 5, 1889, through an agreement signed by the President of the Republic, Antonio Flores Jijón. It strives to develop trade, create wealth, advise members on their activities, and influence the development of the city of Guayaquil and, as a consequence, the nation’s economy. 

 

“Thanks to the information, services, training and advice that is offered, the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce has become an important strategic ally of its members: the large, medium and small companies that are looking to sell more with lower costs. To become a member of the organization really is an excellent piece of business,” says Eduardo Peña, President of the Chamber, a member for more than two decades who has just been re-elected for two more years. 

 

“In my time at the chamber we have focused a lot on training because our members have told us – and we have seen for ourselves – that if you are fully trained and you pass that on to your employees you are going to become more profitable. And at the end of the day that means you are going to make more money. A businessman is always looking to do better deals and more business; the search for profit is part of the human psyche. Everybody wants to earn more money,” Peña adds.
 

It is no coincidence that the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce has an enormous amount of influence throughout the country due to the profits generated by its members. The province of Guayas has always based its economic performance on the exploitation of its natural resources and the commercial talents of its people, who have always shown a capacity for taking advantage of those resources and using them commercially in the best possible way. 
 

“The Guayas province was historically a huge producer of cocoa at the beginning of the 20th century, so much so it was known as the golden bean. Then came the age of the banana and we became the first producers of the fruit throughout the world; then the shrimp and we became the third biggest producer in the world. All of these cycles of wealth within Ecuador have been linked to what we do here in Guayas,” says Peñas. 
 

One of the most important clients for the area is the European Union, “an essential customer for our economy” of which 250,000 jobs are directly linked to trade with the area, admits Peña. The EU purchases 62% of all Ecuador’s tuna and 40% of the country’s bananas and prawns. Both the business community and the authorities agree that strong commercial links with Europe are fundamental to future development and they are working together on initiatives to strengthen them with the support of the government.

The Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce is also particularly active in establishing new links with other business communities, not only in neighboring markets but also with the United States, South Korea and India through trade missions, such as one that is currently being organized from Israel.
 

“What do trade missions entail? We receive a party of business people for who we prepare a full agenda of visits to show what the Ecuadorian market is about, how to negotiate with our country, and how the customs and duties work. Then we arrange one-to-one interviews and meetings according to the import and export interests of each visitor with our members,” says the chamber’s president.