Dollar and Thrifty Middle East franchisees unveil major expansion plans

New Offices, Larger Rental Car Fleet, and Regional Coverage Builds Leadership Position for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Franchisees

The expansion program will include new offices, a significant expansion of its car fleet, and a broader franchise program throughout the region.

The number of rental cars on the roads of the region has risen sharply over the past year, driven by rising numbers of tourists and business travelers, increasing levels of intra-regional travel within the Middle East, and growing recognition of the comparative ease and price competitiveness of hiring a car rather than buying one.

As part of the expansion plan announced today, DTG franchisees intend to add approximately 2,000 cars to its existing fleet of 14,000 over the next 18 months to meet this surge in demand. In addition, it will open 40 new Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental outlets in airports, city centers, and hotels in the same time period.

"Our plan is for the whole MENA Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, which includes the Dollar and Thrifty brands, to benefit from our significantly expanded presence in the Middle East, supported by new outlets and an increased fleet of cars," said Sam Eltibi, regional director, MENA, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.

As part of its regional expansion program, Dollar plans to open 20 new franchise outlets in the MENA region, including three in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, Dollar intends to recruit new franchisees in Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Bahrain.

This significant expansion program will be supported by a comprehensive branding program, which will aim to raise the profile of DTG as a whole, and draw upon the strength of its Thrifty Car Rental brand. Thrifty has already won a strong market share through its network of franchises in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

In addition, as part of this expansion program, the DTG franchisees plan to open 20 new Thrifty franchise outlets.

"We're unveiling an aggressive plan that will ensure that DTG is prepared to serve the expanding population of customers in the Middle East and North Africa," said Eltibi. "We believe that the car rental market is poised for major growth alongside the business travel and tourism sectors of the Middle East, and we want to ensure that we have the resources, vehicles, and presence necessary to fully exploit these opportunities.

"We have won a number one position in many countries within the Middle East market because of strong service and the compelling value proposition we offer our customers. In order to build upon our success, we will invest directly into country markets," said Eltibi.