Hertz Saudi Arabia has launched its brand new website, in response to the ongoing trend of Saudi consumers contributing to a boom in online shopping across the Arab world.

Hertz Saudi Arabia, which operates eight car rental locations in the Kingdom, has launched its dedicated website allowing customers easy access through their personal computer, mobile phone or tablet.

A growing number of car rental users in Saudi are expected to turn to the internet for their next trip, and the new site gives Hertz customers a quick and easy way to book rental vehicles and optional extras in Saudi or at over 8,800 Middle Eastern and worldwide locations.

“Convenience is always a top priority for our customers when it comes to planning their travel arrangements, and so it should be,” said Ali Alireza, Chairman of Al Wasilah Rent a Car, the Hertz Franchisee in Saudi Arabia. 

“Accordingly, we’re providing our customers with a range of convenient ways to book a Hertz car such as this new website and through our recently launched 24/7 English and Arabic call centre.”

The website launch is timed with a 40 per cent growth in Hertz car rental bookings in the last twelve months out of Saudi Arabia to popular destinations such as the USA, UAE, France and Germany, plus the growing demand for domestic travel within the Kingdom.

Underlining the growing trend in online shopping, a report by research firm Euromonitor International in 2012 said online sales in the Arab world are forecast to top US$2 billion (SAR 7.5 billion) by 2016. This followed spending of $1.01 billion on internet retail sites in 2011 by shoppers in Saudi, the UAE and Egypt.

The new website will complement the Hertz call centre launched recently to allow Saudi customers to make car rental bookings at any time of day. Ali Alireza explained: “People have the option to use www.hertz.com.sa for research and online reservations, with the reassurance our reservation staff are a phone call away should they need assistance 24 hours a day.”

Customers making bookings through the new www.hertz.com.sa website earn frequent flyer miles from Hertz global airline partners such as the Saudia airline’s Alfursan programme, or receive points from Hertz hotel partners.