RIYADH, 2 March 2007 - The economic boom in the Kingdom, together with the reforms program, boosted the demand in the SR2.5 billion rent-a-car market annually.
Suleiman Al-Saleh, chairman of the Arabian Hala Group - the exclusive agent of Avis Middle East - told Arab News that it has been named the best car rental company in the Middle East for 2006, following a public opinion survey on international services conducted by the Business Travelers Magazine.
The award, he observed, would encourage his firm to embark on expansion program, and tap a niche market for VIP customers and tourists whose numbers have been swelling.
Al-Saleh attributed the trend to the impact of the economic reforms program and the tourism promotion drive. Already, his firm has established more than 35 branches in the Kingdom for operating a fleet of over 5,500 vehicles in different sizes. “We are also going to open two new branches in each city (Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah),” he further said, adding that two branches opened in Jeddah recently, one on Hera Street and the other at Tahlia Street. He said the opening of these branches would help to fulfill their clients’ needs “as we have also opened a VIP branch in the Eastern Province and another in Riyadh.
