Investors in the sector, according to local Arabic daily Al-Madinah, expected a boom in their business with more people than ever coming from all over the Kingdom to spend the school summer vacation in Jeddah.
The offices are keen to offer various brands of cars catering to the different tastes and budgets of vacationers.
Ali Al-Zahrani, a Saudi citizen, said he always prefers to spend his summer holidays with family and relatives in Al-Baha province. “As my car is old and uncomfortable, I am obliged to rent a car for my travels,” he said.
Al-Zahrani noted remarkable differences in prices between different companies and urged authorities to monitor prices closely, especially with the current high demand for rented cars.
Abdul Majeed Al-Amoudi, another Saudi vacationer, said he doesn't like to travel by land or drive for long distances. “Therefore I leave my car in Jazan and arrive in Jeddah by air where I rent a car to use during my stay,” he said.
Al-Amoudi noted disparities in prices from one office to another and called for fixing a unified price for the same car brands and models.
Abdullah Mubaraki, owner of a car rental office, said the market has been stagnant lately because of the school examinations, but is booming now with the start of the vacation.
“Young people prefer small cars that cost between SR90 and SR150 a day, while family cars carry charges of up to SR500,” he said.
Khaled Al-Otaibi, another office owner, said prices could come down if vehicles are rented for longer periods. “If you rent a car for a month, its daily price will be between SR70 and SR100,” he explained.
He said business tends to remain steady throughout the year but increases during weekends and summer vacations.
“Like other sectors, we also have our problems. They usually come from customers using forged papers that land us in trouble with the police and courts,” he said.
Ahmad Abdul Wahid, an employee at a car rental office, complained about the traffic violations system sending penalty notices 48 hours after an offense is committed, during which the customer might have already delivered the car and left.
