Prime Minister John Key has met dignitaries and enjoyed a Burger Fuel meal in Kuwait, on the final stop of his Gulf States tour.
Mr Key's regional visit is an effort to complete a free trade deal with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Key said the chances of getting a deal signed were "higher than before I came", but said Saudi Arabia remained the potential stumbling block.
"It was always going to be the issue of trying to make some progress, and, bluntly, we got a great reception today from Kuwait, a fantastic reception from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the Saudis, we are going to have to continue to work on that but I think we can get there," Radio New Zealand reported Mr Key as saying.
"Where this now goes is that the Gulf Council members sit down as a group, and they sit down and discuss whether they want to progress things, and you've got to believe me being here for four days has put us in a much better chance for them to have that discussion, and for them ultimately to complete the deal.
"And I think that is a much better use of my time than sitting in Wellington for a few days where we'd have no chance of getting it over the line."
In Kuwait, Mr Key met with its Emir, His Highness Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, and Prime Minister Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah. He also visited a Burger Fuel store.
Mr Key said New Zealand got "really close" to getting a regional free trade deal signed in 2009, and it was now a matter of pushing it over the line. He hoped that would happen within five years, but would not rate the chances of that occurring.
One issue for the Saudis had been the treatment of an investor who was disadvantaged over a ban on live sheep exports, Mr Key said, but the issue was much more complicated than that.
The Gulf Council is made up of Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.