The UAE is seeing an unprecedented surge in the renting of high-end, flashy cars by high-ranking corporate professionals and top-tier entertainment and sports personalities, with service providers reporting a more than 30 per cent increase in demand last year and expecting a further rise this year, amid the growing status of Dubai and Abu Dhabi as globally competitive event hubs.
Hosting of prominent international conferences, congresses, corporate meetings and incentives are the drivers of high-end car rentals – as also the overall business travel sector, with Dubai alone estimated to have hosted a record 437 events across a range of sectors and professions in 2024, industry players said.
The spike in high-end car rentals, in turn, is leading to a significant push-up in the UAE business travel revenues to reach an estimated $54 billion last year and is projected to cross a whopping $94 billion by 2030, according to Horizon Grand View research.
The rising trend of business travellers preferring to stay over the weekend after conferences to spend a luxurious weekend in Dubai – or in Abu Dhabi – is fuelling the demand for luxury car bookings, service providers said.
According to the internal statistics of Trinity Rental, a leading Dubai-based luxury car rental service firm, the top 5 car models that corporate clients rent when travelling to conferences in Dubai are Mercedes-Maybach, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Urus, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Mercedes G & V-class.
November to February is the peak season for business travel, which sees the demand for premium, flashy cars going up by several notches, Trinity Rental said, adding that their firm recorded a 30 per cent rise in demand from business travellers last year, and is expected to increase even further in 2025.
Senior executives at other rental firms also echoed optimism for a spike in demand in 2025 on the back of rising international conferences and corporate events slated for this year.
Dubai’s elite car preferences
According to Kolotilin Levgen, СЕО of Trinity Rental Car Boutique, the events captured in 2024 are set to attract an estimated over 210,000 delegates to Dubai over the coming years, making a direct impact on the city’s events, travel and tourism ecosystems, triggering high demand for luxury car hirings.
“In the summer months, clients tend to rent mid-range cars for longer periods – 2-4 months, while in the winter months, the rental period is typically shorter – around 3-4 days – with more luxury models,” Levgen told Arabian Business.
He said while men tend to rent business and sports cars, women usually prefer elegant vehicles such as the Bentley Bentayga or Bentley Continental or universal models such as the Cadillac Escalade.
Entrepreneurs and crypto-businessmen in the age group of 25-40 prefer to book high-end luxury cars, Levgen said.
The average bill for car rental is $2,725 – $4,000 (AED 10 000 – AED 15 000).
Senior industry executives said the ongoing shifts in travel preferences with the rising trend of ‘blended travel’ – combining work trips with leisure purposes – is aiding the demand for car rentals, including for luxury ones, in a significant way in cities like Dubai.
The city’s top-billed infrastructure development, its affinity for innovation, and its rising global economic influence are also adding to the attraction for global travellers, they said.
The top models that affluent tourists rent when travelling to Dubai are the Rolls-Royce Spectre, Ferrari 812 Superfast, G-class P820 Mansory, Lamborghini Urus, Ferrari 296, Rolls-Royce Сullinan, McLaren 720S Fury, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Dawn and Lamborghini Huracán.
UAE car rental market booms
Industry players said the UAE car rental market is experiencing robust expansion, driven by evolving consumer preferences and a rising demand for flexible transportation solutions.
Levgen said companies are also diversifying their fleets to include a range of vehicles from luxury to economy models, catering to tourists, business travellers, and residents.
A major bounce back in ‘in-person meetings’ in the corporate sector is adding to the surge in demand, he said.
Travel managers in companies, however, listed concerns on rising travel costs and company budgets not keeping pace which could have some impact on the surging business travel this year.
According to an Expedia market study, 56 per cent of ‘bleisure’ travellers said they are more likely to consider a trip in a destination with great food and restaurants, while 50 per cent were influenced by beaches, weather, nature, historical monuments or sightseeing.
“Cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi tick most of these boxes,” the Trinity Rental Car Boutique chief executive said.
Sector experts said the rising business travel sector has a major impact on allied industry players such as hotels, restaurants, transport services and other travel agency services.
Market research which estimated the GCC car rental market, including Dubai, at $7.63 billion in 2024, projected it to reach $18.9 billion by 2033.
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