Inclusion of car rental offices within the "Salamtak" platform services

The head of the Car Rental Owners Association, Marwan Akoubeh, revealed the inclusion of car rental offices on the "Salamtak" platform, which is concerned with medical tourism, allowing patients arriving in the Kingdom and their companions to benefit from car rental services during their stay.

In a statement to Alrai, Akoubeh explained that including the offices on the platform represents an important step toward strengthening cooperation between the car rental sector and the medical tourism sector, and opening new horizons for offices to benefit from the movement of patients arriving in the Kingdom for treatment purposes.

He confirmed that work is currently underway to complete the necessary arrangements and procedures to enter the phase of official cooperation, in coordination with the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, to finalize the approvals and procedures required to organize the cooperation mechanism and activate the utilization of the services listed on the platform.

He indicated that this step carries positive opportunities for the car rental sector by expanding the demand base for its services and reaching a new segment of visitors, especially patients and their companions who need means of transport and mobility during their time in the Kingdom.

He pointed out that the sector has faced successive challenges over the past years, which have reflected on its activity and occupancy rates, starting from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, through the war on the Gaza Strip, to the current regional tensions, and the accompanying effects on tourism movement and the demand for related services.

He noted that strengthening cooperation with entities working in medical tourism would provide additional opportunities for car rental offices and contribute to revitalizing their business, in light of the need to diversify sources of demand and expand areas of cooperation with various tourism sectors.

He indicated that the coming phase focuses on completing the necessary regulatory and official procedures, ensuring the building of institutional cooperation with the relevant authorities, and enhancing the benefit of the car rental sector from medical tourism, as it is one of the activities linked to a group of support services.

Akoubeh valued the role of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in supporting cooperation with the car rental sector and its efforts to strengthen the partnership between tourism sectors and support services, confirming that this cooperation would open new horizons for the sector and enhance its contribution to stimulating tourism and economic activity in the Kingdom.

The value added to this sector is estimated at about 90.5 million dinars, which constitutes 0.253% of the Gross Domestic Product.