News

Latest news

VIVA Expeditions: Peru welcoming tourists back

15 Sep 2021

machu picchu v2

Peru has endured some the worst of the COVID pandemic, but cases are now dropping, vaccines roll outs are increasing, and Peru is welcoming tourists back with open arms.

Read more

Rt Hon. Helen Clark - new LANZBC Patron

24 Aug 2021

Helen Clark press photo high res 1 v3

I am delighted to announce that the former Prime Minister to New Zealand, the Rt Hon. Helen Clark has agreed to become a Patron of the Latin America New Zealand Business Council!  We are truly honoured to have her onboard alongside long standing Patron Sir Don McKinnon.

Read more

Viva Expeditions launches a new range of unique luxury experiences in New Zealand

3 Aug 2020

Rahimoana 1

Viva Expeditions have launched a new and exciting range of over 30 unique luxury experiences in New Zealand, including exclusive Heli-tours, remote luxury lodges, sub-Antarctic adventures and more.

Read more

LANZBC Welcomes its Young Professionals Network Interim Committee

22 Jul 2020

YPN Logo COL

Friends and partners of the LANZBC came together in Auckland last week to welcome the recently appointed LANZBC Young Professionals Network Interim Committee.

Read more

LANZBC Welcomes New Partner Latin American Chamber of Commerce, Singapore

2 Jul 2020

LOGOFINAL v1 v2

The LANZBC and the Latin American Chamber of Commerce (Singapore) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a view to coordinate efforts for the development of stronger business relations between the two parties.

Read more

Rachel Williams joins the LANZBC’s executive team as Vice president

2 Jul 2020

Rachel Williams

The LANZBC’s new Vice president, Rachel Williams, has extensive management and marketing experience in the tourism sector.

Read more

COVID19: LANZBC member Viva Expeditions helps bring stranded Kiwis home from South America

29 Apr 2020

Time to board 2

New Zealanders who found themselves stranded in Peru, Chile and Brazil due to coronavirus border closures, were able to return home thanks to the efforts of the New Zealand Government and LANZBC member Viva Expeditions.

Read more

COVID-19: Viva Expeditions and New Zealand Government to charter repatriation flight for Kiwis stuck in Peru

7 Apr 2020

Viva Expeditions is working with the New Zealand Government to bring New Zealanders and their family members home from Peru via flights departing Cusco and Lima in the coming days.

Read more

COVID-19: Canada, Australia, Chile, Brunei and Myanmar join NZ and Singapore in committing to keeping supply and trade links open

26 Mar 2020

port 675539 1920

Canada, Australia, Chile, Brunei and Myanmar have joined forces with New Zealand and Singapore by committing to keep supply chains open and remove any existing trade-restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.

Read more

LANZBC Directors meet with NZ Ambassadors to Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay

4 Feb 2020

Breakfast with Chris Langley

LANZBC board members welcomed the opportunity to meet in December with New Zealand’s Ambassadors to Brazil, Chris Langley and Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay Carl Worker.

Read more

2019: A year in events

3 Dec 2019

parker event

The LANZBC's events programme for 2019 was a full one. Our members enjoyed a varied calendar of activities that included everything, from movie screenings to conferences by top diplomats and a flagship event with New Zealand’s Minister of Trade and Export Growth, Hon. David Parker.

Read more

Work has begun on the LANZBC Young Professionals Network

3 Dec 2019

John Liang

The Latin America New Zealand Business Council (LANZBC) and the Latin America Centre for Asia Pacific Excellence (CAPE) have begun working together towards establishing the LANZBC Young Professionals Network (YPN), with an expected launch date in March 2020.

Read more

Celebrating New Zealanders' Economic and Academic success in Brazil

16 Sep 2019

IMG 2116

The LANZBC were privileged to attend the Auckland screening of The Inside Guide: Exploring Kiwi Success in Brazil, earlier this month. The five-part documentary was funded by the Latin America CAPE and made by the award-winning Brazilian producer and director David Schurmann, who learnt his film-making craft here in NZ.

Read more

Universities New Zealand showcase collaborative approach to Latam market development

16 Aug 2019

NZIEC19Lissa Day1Speakers170Web 1 002

LANZBC Vice President Shane Ball moderated a lively panel discussion in front of a full house at the recent New Zealand International Education Conference (NZIEC) in Auckland, showcasing the university sector’s multi-agency approach to market development in Latin America.

Whereas NZ universities have been recruiting students in traditional markets such as South East Asia and China for upwards of 20 years, Latin America has only recently come into focus for the sector. Marcelo Credidio, International Manager at the University of Auckland’s Business School, pointed out that the universities quickly realized the need to work together in opening the market.

Read more

How does Mexico see New Zealand?

26 Jul 2019

Mexico hero image

Mexico is an emerging market full of opportunities, but it’s not without its challenges. To help Kiwi business get ahead, New Zealand Story and the Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence commissioned in-market research which focuses on supporting a better understanding of the trade opportunities offered to New Zealand exporters to Mexico through the CPTPP.

Read more

Esmeralda gifted iconic NZ art by LANZBC

22 Jul 2019

Esmeralda photo

Shane Ball and Rachel Williams of the LANZBC presented an original print by NZ artist Joe Micheal to Captain Claudio Maldonado of the Chilean ship the Esmeralda in Auckland on July 19.

Read more

Foreign Minister advancing NZ's interests in Latin America

15 Jul 2019

pETERS

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, travelled to Latin America in early July to advance New Zealand’s interests in the region. Minister Peters made a successful bilateral visit to Santiago, Chile on 2-3 July and then attended the Pacific Alliance Summit in Lima, Peru, which took place on 4-5 July.

Read more

Latin American interest in New Zealand agribusiness running high

19 Apr 2019

F2F pic 2

With agricultural groups coming from Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina in 2019, it is looking to be a strong year for in-bound groups visiting New Zealand reports James Dixon, Technical Manager of Farm To Farm Tours Ltd.

Read more

Unique All Blacks tours touchdown in South America

25 Mar 2019

Viva 10 years

Viva Expeditions, New Zealand’s leading Latin America and Polar specialist, has become an official sales agent for All Blacks Tours in Argentina, with a deal signed between Viva, All Blacks Tours & NZ Rugby on 14 February 2019. As an authorised reseller of All Blacks match tickets Viva can create holidays featuring All Blacks vs Argentina games, kicking off a new range of unique holidays in South America. Travellers can now enjoy a bloody good game of rugby alongside experiences like wandering the ancient corridors of Machu Picchu, canoeing through the Amazon rainforest, riding horses with Gaucho’s and hiking across suspended walkways above the mighty Iguazu Falls.

Read more

Manuka opens Dairy Training Centre of the South

25 Mar 2019

MANUKA

Puerto Octay, March 18th, 2019.- With more than 100 attendees, including local and regional authorities, representatives of dairy groups and collaborators, Manuka inaugurated the Dairy Training Center of the South (CCLS), the first Chilean centre specialized in dairy production based on the New Zealand grazing system, a proven, profitable and competitive technique, which today allows the company to obtain high quality milk at low cost.

The institution, which has modern facilities located on the same site of the company (Hacienda Coihueco, 30 kilometres from the Osorno-Puerto Octay route), will offer to industry workers and to the community, teachings related to the production of milk based on the grazing technique, milk quality, animal health, agribusiness and human resources, among other specialties, thus, aiming to become an educational benchmark in Los Lagos Region and throughout the south of Chile.

Read more

LANZBC Board Nomination Period opening soon

1 Mar 2019

The Board would like to advise members that the Board Nomination Period, in which nominations can be made for the 2019 Board, will open in late March and run until early April.

Read more

Viva Expeditions Release the most Affordable Antarctica Cruise

29 Jan 2019

ocean endeavor

Latin America and Polar travel specialists, Viva Expeditions, are pleased to showcase in their 10th year, one of the cheapest yet still sustainable 2020/2021 cruises to Antarctica currently on the market. Viva aims to make these bucket list destinations more accessible to travellers looking to achieve their travel goals; exploring once-in-a-lifetime places while becoming ambassadors for their protection.

Viva Expeditions also offers a special LANZBC member discount - book directly with Viva and take an additional 10% off your tour cost*.

Read more

Continuing collaboration with Argentinean Embassy, Investment opportunities available

18 Jan 2019

Argentinean Embassy

LANZBC President Simon O'Connor and Executive Officer Heather Kawan met with Argentine Ambassador Fausto Lopez Crozet and Embassy Secretary Javier Alfredo De Cicco earlier this month, to discuss further opportunities for the LANZBC and Embassy to collaborate to promote trade between our two nations.

Read more

University of Auckland students to study peacebuilding in Bogota

23 Nov 2018

University of Auckland students have the opportunity to study peacebuilding in Colombia, thanks to the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier this month.

Read more

President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera State Visit to New Zealand

20 Nov 2018

DsUZ3JfX4AIe6Z0 pinera

At the invitation of the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, undertook a State Visit to New Zealand on 19 November 2018.

Read more

LANZBC welcomes New Zealand’s first Free Trade Agreement with Mexico through CPTPP

1 Nov 2018

The Latin America New Zealand Business Council (LANZBC), congratulates the New Zealand Government on the news that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership has been ratified by six member nations, including New Zealand and Mexico, and will be in force by 30 December.

Read more

Free trade opportunities with Mexico ever closer

30 Oct 2018

New Zealand and Mexico will soon be free-trade partners for the first time, with New Zealand having recently ratified the CPTPP. So the visit to Wellington and Christchurch last week of the Mexican Ambassador José Gerardo Traslosheros and the Trade Commissioner Rodolfo Esaú Garza de Vega, was very timely.

Read more

Viva Expeditions & Chimu Adventures launch LANZBC member only discount

28 Sep 2018

Viva Chimu logo 2018

BOOK DIRECT WITH VIVA EXPEDITIONS & CHIMU ADVENTURES AND RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT ON ALL LAND & CRUISE ARRANGEMENTS (excludes airfares)

Whether you are travelling for business or for leisure Viva & Chimu can help you. They offer NZ’s largest range of Latin America & Antarctica travel options. These include fully flexible, guaranteed itineraries to South America, Central America & Mexico plus cruises to Antarctica.

Read more

Celebrating the 208th anniversary of Mexico's independence

21 Sep 2018

September sees the anniversaries of Independence for Brazil (7th), Mexico (16th) and Chile (18th) and the Embassies each celebrated their national days with typical Latin American energy and enthusiasm. In this article, Mexican Ambassador José Gerardo Traslosheros Hernández reports on their Mexican fiesta.

Read more

Pacific Alliance FTA negotiations update

14 Sep 2018

Pacific Alliance

Negotiations towards a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru) are progressing at pace. The Ministery of Foreign Affairs & Trade released an update on the negotiations and New Zealand's progress against its objectives earlier this month.

Read more

Latin American Ambassadors exchange economic and climate issues with Ministers

29 Aug 2018

The Ambassadors of Latin America have had a busy month meeting with Government Ministers and political party leaders, emphasising the importance of a trade relationship between the region and New Zealand.

Read more

New Post Study Work Rights a significant opportunity for NZ export educators in Latin America.

27 Aug 2018

Post Study Work Rights image

On August 8 Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway announced changes to Post Study Work Rights for international students studying in New Zealand tertiary institutions.

Among the changes announced are a three-year open work visa for graduates of undergraduate, masters and PhD programmes, and the availability of work visas and subsidised education for their partners and children. These changes have been welcomed by the NZ International Education community, and represent a significant opportunity for those exporting education to Latin America.

Read more

Breakfast Series: Caroline Bilkey's Brazil

3 Aug 2018

Caroline Bilkey event report

A thick fog didn’t stop LANZBC members and friends from enjoying the first of the LANZBC’s Ambassador Breakfast series with Caroline Bilkey on Thursday 2 August. While denied the usual enviable view from NZTE’s Auckland office, attendees were treated to a wonderfully rich, frank and personal presentation on Brazil from Caroline, now Assistant Secretary and Group Director of MFAT Auckland.

Read more

Colombia new hot spot for scholarship students

3 Aug 2018

Foto 20 8 17 9 35 13 a m

Once known as one of the world’s most notorious cities during the reign of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel, Medellin in Colombia is hot again, but this time for the right reasons.

The city is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations among young New Zealanders benefitting from the Prime Minister’s Scholarships to Latin America (PMSLA).

The 11 University of Auckland students selected for the 2018-2019 PMSLA scholarships will include five doctoral candidates and six undergraduates. All 11 will complete 12-week internships with businesses in Medellin delivered through the Intern Group.

Read more

LANZBC congratulates NZ Government on signing of CPTPP

9 Mar 2018

CPTPP

The Latin America New Zealand Business Council (‘LANZBC’), the leading business organisation focused solely on the promotion of trade and commerce between New Zealand and Latin America, wholeheartedly congratulates the New Zealand Government on the signing of The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in Chile this morning.

Read more

LANZBC welcomes revived CPTPP negotiations

13 Nov 2017

The Latin America New Zealand Business Council welcomes the revived negotiations on the trade deal now known as the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Read more

FTA negotiations with the Pacific Alliance

1 Jul 2017

The LANZBC congratulates Trade Minister Todd McClay and the New Zealand Government on the launch of free trade agreement negotiations with Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

Read more

New Zealand-Argentina agricultural agreement signed

16 Mar 2017

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has signed an Agricultural Cooperation Arrangement with Argentina today, aimed at building closer relationships between the two countries.

Read more

Latin American Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence announced

9 Mar 2017

The LANZBC congratulate the University of Auckland and Victoria University on their successful bid to host new Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs).

The CAPEs will be cross-institutional centres of excellence specialising in the language, culture, politics and economics of countries or groups of countries within the Asia-Pacific region.

Read more

LANZBC congratulates Government on CAPEs initiative and extension of PM's scholarship

4 Aug 2016

The LANZBC has written to The Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, congratulating him on the Government's decision to include Latin America in the new Centres for Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) and extending the Prime Minister's scholarships to this region.

Read more

PM's Scholarships extended to Latin America

20 Jul 2016

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced on 19 July that the Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme for international study with be extended to Latin America, as well as Asia.

The Latin American scholarships will give kiwi students much greater exposure to another part of the Asia-Pacific region that will become increasingly important to New Zealand in the years ahead.

“The scholarships will mean more young Kiwis are exposed to Latin American countries and cultures, and this will strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with key Latin American trading partners in the future,” Mr Joyce says.

Read more

Joyce announces $34.5m for Centres for Asia-Pacific Excellence

27 Jun 2016

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has announced $34.5 million in funding to develop new Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) in New Zealand universities.

CAPEs will be cross-institutional centres of excellence in the language, culture, politics and economics of countries or groups of countries within the Asia-Pacific region. As well as teaching about and researching these countries, they will be mandated to help all learners, exporters, and government agencies improve their understanding of the countries and their languages.

Read more

LANZBC submission to MFAT supporting Primary Sector Training Visa Scheme extension

3 Jun 2016

The LANZBC has made a submission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade in support of the extension of the Primary Sector Training Visa schemes to Uruguay and Argentina.

Read more

LANZBC submission in support of TPP

11 Mar 2016

The LANZBC have made a submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee in support of New Zealand becoming a party to the TPPA.

Read more

LANZBC supports TPP in open letter to PM

3 Feb 2016

The LANZBC joined 27 other business organisations in support for the TPP, in an open letter to Prime Minister John Key. The organisations - representing the majority of New Zealand business - believe that New Zealand business, and the country as a whole, stands to gain significantly from the agreement.

Read more

Postcards from Buenos Aires - NZ Herald

11 Dec 2015

Matthew O'Meagher, President of the LANZBC, and Nick Fitzpatrick, LANZBC Director feature in this NZ Herald article on Buenos Aires, following Air New Zealand's inaugural flight to the Argentine capital on 1 December.

Read more

LANZBC congratulates Government on conclusion of TPP negotiations

6 Oct 2015

The Latin America New Zealand Business Council congratulates the New Zealand Government on the successful conclusion of this historic trade agreement.

Matthew O’Meagher, President of the LANZBC commented:
“This agreement integrates New Zealand and three Latin American nations into the heart of pioneering new trade arrangements linking Asia, Australasia and the Americas."

Read more

LANZBC congratulates Government on opening of NZ Embassy in Bogota

15 Sep 2015

The Latin America New Zealand Business Council congratulates the New Zealand Government on its decision to open an Embassy in Bogota next year.

Matthew O’Meagher, President of the LANZBC commented:
“The potential of the Colombian market has become increasingly apparent to Council members, many of whom have joined Government missions to the market in recent years."

Read more

Air NZ unveils new flights to Buenos Aires - NZ Herald

12 Dec 2014

Air NZ announces a Boeing 777-200 aircraft will operate three return services a week on the route all year round, with flights set to begin in December 2015.

Read more

Growing export opportunities for Kiwi businesses in Latin America - Radio Live

14 May 2014

What opportunity does Latin America represent to Kiwi exporters? Duncan Garner catches up with Radio Live's small business correspondent Louise Pagonis in this edition of Small Business Report.

Read more

Platinum Members

Our Business Partners