The competent ministry says for eKapija that they don't have exact data as to how many rent-a-car agencies operate in Serbia. The reasons for this, they explain, is that the Tourism Register is still not working at full capacity.
– Rent-a-car agencies, just like all other business entities are registered at the Business Registers Agency. They are also legally obliged to be listed in the Tourism Register, but this register is not working at full capacity, so these entities are not registered at the moment. The Tourism Register lists tourism agencies, organizers and mediators only – the Ministry of Tourism explains.
The sector of tourism inspection, the ministry adds, is in charge of controlling the legality of the operations of business entities which provide rent-a-car services, but is not responsible for running a record of registered entities providing such services.
Franchise empireFive rent-a-car agencies operate as part of the National Association of Travel Agencies of Serbia (YUTA), which brings together 262 members, the organization says for eKapija. Representatives of YUTA explain for eKapija that this activity is profitable in Serbia, and that the country ranks well when it comes to service quality.
– These are members with the biggest franchises in the world –
Hertz,
Europcar,
Avis,
Budget,
Sixt. With a fleet of 3,500 vehicles, the rent-a-car department of YUTA is the most representative association of rent-a-car agencies in Serbia – Aleksandar Senicic, director of YUTA, says for eKapija.
He clarifies that these franchises place Serbia high on the global list looking by the quality of rent-a-car services, as well as the number of transactions realized.
He explains that, in order for a rent-a-car agency to become a member of YUTA, it has to be legally registered as such at the Business Registers Agency and it needs to have a
written reference from two rent-a-car members.