US-based Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, a leading car rental company, has opened two new car rental counters in Qatar in order to capitalise on the increasing number of tourists to the state.

The new locations include Thrifty and Dollar car rental counters in the newly commissioned Barwa City.

“We hand picked our locations so we can cater to the growing number of visitors in Qatar,” said Sam Eltibi, executive director, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Mena & Asia Pacific.

“Most of our rentals come from business travelers and visitors for the numerous events that take place in Doha, which have significantly increased over the past year,” he added.

“Our rapid expansion into Qatar has caused us to embark on an intense recruitment drive for counter staff and chaffers.”

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), travel and tourism investment is expected to rise from 9.5 per cent (QR16.3 billion or $4.47 billion) to 11.0 per cent (QR51.6 billion) of total investment.

The WTTC also reports that the Qatar Travel and Tourism economy is ranked ninth in long-term (10-year) growth out of the181 countries estimated.

“Qatar has contributed significantly to the growth of our regional business, especially as the development of the city has given rise to a number of events year round,” Eltibi continued.

“Car rentals are the preferred mode of travel for tourists and visitors to the Middle East, especially during the hot summer months. With the number of business travelers preparing for post-summer events in Qatar, we will see car rentals surge in the next few months,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service