Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group announces future plans for the MENA region

In addition plans for expansion in Oman were announced during the conference.

The annual meeting, held earlier this month at the Crown Plaza Hotel & Resort in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt consisted of a series of lively business sessions designed to reinforce the relationship between Dollar Thrifty and its Middle East franchisees and to discuss future plans, working processes, policies and procedures.

The partnership with Egypt's Abou Ghali Group will further enhance its role as one of the leading car rental organizations in the MENA region and increases DTAG services available to customers. Abou Ghali Group currently offers a wide array of services including short-term car rental, chauffeur drive services, and long-term/ leasing services. It owns a fleet of close to 1000 vehicles, and has a quality policy that involves every aspect of its business from condition of its vehicles to reception and billing.

'Egypt is a key market for DTAG given the growth of its tourism and commercial sectors, as well as its large population. DTAG places a significant emphasis on local clients in the MENA region, along with world class service to our international clients,'

said Sam Eltibi, regional director, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, MENA.

In addition, Dollar Rent a Car has teamed up with Morocco's largest limousine service company, Majestic Limousines, to cater to inbound business and leisure travelers, as well as to the local population in Morocco's most prestigious cities. Majestic Limousines is one of Morocco's largest and most luxurious limousine service companies. Offering only the best in customer service, Majestic caters to the most prestigious regions, providing high-end vehicles for rent, including Mercedes, BMW, and Jaguar.

'Our affiliation with Majestic Limousines is set to further expand our existing network within the MENA region. Already a well-established name in the automotive industry in Morocco, Majestic Limousines understanding of the local market and reputation are certain to stand us in good position as we venture into this new, untapped market,' added Sam Eltibi, regional director, DTAG.

Also, further expansion plans in Oman were announced during the conference. Company officials anticipate that at least three new Dollar outlets are planned to open in the Sultanate by April 2008. Located in central city locations and hotels, Dollar will open in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Muscat downtown and Sohar to meet the growing demand for car rentals.

In addition, Dollar and Thrifty also intends to appoint new franchisees in Qatar Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya and Saudi Arabia to meet their growth targets over the coming months.