Demand for rental tourist vehicles in Jordan has increased ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday, driven by the return of expatriates and the disbursement of employee salaries, according to Marwan Aqouba, head of the Association of Tourist Car Rental Office Owners.
اضافة اعلان
Aqouba said current occupancy rates for tourist rental vehicles range between 60% and 70%, noting that this surge is temporary and typically linked to holiday seasons and official breaks.
He added that activity usually returns to normal levels of 20% to 30% after the holiday period, explaining that tourists increasingly prefer group tours and buses due to their lower cost compared with individual travel.
He noted that holiday seasons generally generate stronger demand than other times of the year, while pointing out that the car rental sector faces growing competition from privately owned vehicles operating without tourism licenses and offering lower prices.
Aqouba said the sector is still suffering from the financial fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left a number of office owners struggling to license their vehicles and businesses. He called for urgent government measures to support the sector, including reductions in customs duties and licensing fees.
He explained that car rental prices start at JD 15 per day, depending on the vehicle type and model year, with most customers preferring fuel-efficient economy cars.
According to Aqouba, Jordan has 192 licensed tourist car rental offices operating approximately 10,300 tourist vehicles. Sector investment has declined from nearly JD 500 million to JD 400 million in recent years.
He added that the sector’s added economic value is estimated at around JD 90 million, representing approximately 0.253% of Jordan’s GDP
