AMMAN — Driven by a rise in tourism and the arrival of expatriates, car rentals have witnessed an increase of 70 per cent, according to industry representatives.

Small cars with fuel-efficient engines make up the largest portion of rented vehicles, said Mohammad Hijjawi, manager of a car rental company.

In Hijjawi’s opinion, the momentum in business should continue through mid-August, when the holiday season for expatriates ends.

He added that 30 per cent of car rentals have engines with high fuel consumption, and this number is currently lower than usual due to increased fuel prices. These cars can be rented between JD15-20 per day.

For his part, the Secretary of the Syndicate of Car Rental Business Owners, Shadi Abu Al Nadi, said that the car rentals business upturn is “excellent”, pointing out that some companies have had sales capacity reach 90 per cent.

Abu Al Nadi noted that car rental prices start at JD15 per day, and rise depending on the vehicle size and the year of production.

Mohammad Al Abadi, an employee at a car rental agency, said that the increased turnout has been noticeable since the Eid Al Adha holiday.

There are over 235 tourist rental car agencies distributed in various governorates, holding around 12,000 vehicles and employing over 2,000 individuals, according to the Syndicate of Car Rental Business Owners. The car rental industry is valued at approximately JD500 million.

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