Visitors cite car rental as major concern in holiday planning

Taking this into account, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, a key sponsor of DSS 2005, is offering unbeatable car rental rates across a broad spectrum of vehicles, catering to the variety of demographics expected.

The company supplies more than 8,000 automobiles to the UAE under the Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental brands.

Valid from now until 30 September 2005, Thrifty UAE is offering visitors unbeatable rates and discounts on vehicles ranging from the economy-class Toyota Echo and Nissan Sunny to the luxurious Toyota Land Cruiser and Mercedes Benz E-240.

"Supplementing the efforts of government bodies to ensure the success of family-centric events such as DSS is an integral part of our overall strategy. Our cost-effective summer car rental packages reflect this and are especially suited for families who plan to visit Dubai to enjoy the numerous activities and special offers spread throughout the season," said Rahul Singh, general manager, Thrifty Car Rental.

Visitors to Dubai can also enjoy a 60 per cent discount on select vehicles, when they visit any of the conveniently-located Dollar Rent A Car outlets in Dubai, including on Sheikh Zayed Road and at the Dubai International Airport Terminals 1 and 2.

"Events such as the Dubai Summer Surprises ensure a steady flow of short-term visitors to the UAE. As residents become more aware of the benefits of car rental versus car purchase, these trends bode well for Dollar Rent A Car as we continually enhance our offering to meet the growing demand," added Sumit Chopra, general manager, Dollar Rent A Car.

The ten-week long DSS 2005 began with the Flower Surprises on June 22 and concludes with the Back-2-School Surprises on September 2. Each DSS week has a different theme and shopping malls and other public areas are converted into venues for live entertainment, music, dancing, competitions, workshops and numerous interactive programs in keeping with that particular week's theme.