HERTZ Corporation has appointed AiRep Aviation & Tourism, one of Turkey’s largest travel management companies, as its outbound general sales agent (GSA) representative for the travel trade in Turkey. The partnership will see AiRep Aviation & Tourism tasked with growing Hertz outbound car rentals from Turkey to more than 8,800 Hertz locations in 150 countries.
That growth will likely be aided by the increasing number of Turkish travellers in recent years to popular destinations such as the USA and Europe. According to the Turkish Ministry of Tourism, more than 11 million Turkish passport holders travelled abroad in 2012, while experts in the country estimate that by 2015, the number could increase to 16 million.
“With a population of 73.6 million and an average GDP growth rate of 4.6 per cent expected over the next five years, we see Turkey as a key source market for Hertz outbound car rentals and integral to our long-term growth strategy,” said Michel Taride, group president of Hertz International.
“Turkey generates millions of tourists every year, while Hertz outbound car rentals from the country between January and August 2013 increased by 27 per cent versus the same period last year.”
Taride added that the US, Italy, Germany, France, and Greece are currently the top five destinations for Turkish travellers choosing to rent with Hertz, accounting for a combined 67 per cent of the total mentioned growth so far this year. Other popular global destinations include Spain, the UAE, Benelux, Switzerland and Austria.