Jordan's Rental Car Services Struggles Amid Regional Geopolitical Turmoil
The rental car Services in Jordan is currently grappling with a dual challenge. While trying to recover from a period of nearly zero income during past crises, many companies are still burdened with overdue financial obligations to banks. Installments that went unpaid for over a year have piled up, and the modest business of the summer season is not sufficient to bridge these gaps.
Compounding this problem is the broader downturn in tourism.
For example, around 26 hotels in Petra have had to close their doors, and many desert camps in Wadi Rum, as well as businesses in Aqaba, have been forced to cease operations.
Aqaba, in particular, has been heavily reliant on charter flights and low-cost carriers such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, and easyJet. These airlines completely halted their flights to Jordan due to the recent conflicts and have yet to resume service.
This has severely impacted tourist arrivals and, consequently, the rental car businesses that depend on them.
In summary, Jordan's rental car sector is facing a perfect storm of financial and geopolitical pressures.
The hope is that increased awareness of these challenges will lead to support measures that can help these businesses weather the storm and eventually thrive once more.
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