The Hertz Corporation has appointed travel management company dnata as its outbound General Sales Agent (GSA) representative for the travel trade in the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Afghanistan for car rentals worldwide.

Michel Taride President, Hertz International and Executive Vice President, Hertz Corporation (left) with Gary Chapman, President, dnata.

Announced today at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, the new partnership between the world’s most powerful car rental brand and the world’s fourth largest air services provider guarantees a new level of service and support for the region’s travel trade professionals when making car rental bookings globally for their customers.

dnata, part of the Emirates Group, has recruited an independent sales team which will operate as a dedicated resource to the regional travel trade to represent the Hertz brand for outbound car rental.

The move will help to significantly increase Hertz product awareness among the travel trade and grow outbound sales by capitalising on dnata’s extensive international retail network to boost business from B2B corporate customers and B2C customers.

dnata was recognised by the prestigious World Travel Awards last night when it was named Middle East’s Leading Tour Operator, UAE’s Leading Business Travel Agency and Dubai’s Leading Travel Agency at a glitzy ceremony that was attended by leading lights of the tourism industry in Dubai.

“Hertz is delighted to be aligned with an organisation of dnata’s stature and reputation, whose massive infrastructure and presence in the market makes the company an ideal partner as our GSA out of the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Afghanistan,” said Michel Taride President, Hertz International and Executive Vice President, Hertz Corporation.

“The new partnership gives us access to dnata’s extensive network and we will also benefit from a wide range of other strong relationships which have been developed by dnata during more than 50 years of outstanding service to the travel and aviation industry.

“We have an aggressive long-term outbound growth strategy from the region which focuses on key growth channels. We recognise that the travel trade is a very important channel for Hertz out of the region and one that requires additional support. We see a perfect opportunity to align with dnata’s corporate strategy to significantly increase ancillary sales over the next three years.”

“Providing a wealth of products for our customers has always been our aim and this partnership with Hertz will allow us to widen the range of services we offer,” said Gary Chapman, President, dnata. “We look forward to working with the Hertz team to establish dnata as the face of the Hertz brand within the travel trade and build Hertz brand presence among our trade and corporate client portfolio.”

The principal benefits of the new GSA appointment to travel trade professionals will be access to Hertz’s global portfolio of outbound products that can be easily booked via the trade. Hertz has 8,500 locations in almost 150 destinations and offers a wide range of makes and types in a global fleet of more than 500,000 vehicles. Hertz has the leading airport market share in US and has a presence at 69 airports in Europe.