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Enterprise Links Up With Japanese Car Rental Company

Enterprise Teams With Nippon

Partnership with Nippon to expand services and increase mobility options

With more than 10,000 offices in some 90 countries, Enterprise has already conquered the summit of the car-rental market. But apparently, the St. Louis-based company is still hungry for more partnership opportunities as was evident with its Monday announcement that Enterprise plans to hook up with Japan’s Nippon Rent-A-Car International.

The partnership will increase incentives and access for tourists visiting Japan and Japanese travelers heading for countries serviced by Enterprise. The endeavor is slated to roll out in April at Nippon’s 80 outlets located in airports throughout Japan. Card-carrying Enterprise customers in the U.S. and Canada will benefit from discounted rates offered by Enterprise, Nippon, National Car Rentals and Alamo Rent A Car. As well, Nippon’s clientele can take advantage of discounts offered by Enterprise and its other owned companies when they visit the U.S. and Canada. It all adds up to what the company refers to as “expanded mobility options,” with future plans surrounding the development of additional services to be announced at later dates.

“As one of the top destinations in Asia, Japan is a vital market for our customers,” said Peter Smith, Vice President of Global Franchising at Enterprise Holdings.

According to Statistica, the growth of Japan’s car rental market is slow but steady. Annual revenues at last count total more than $1 billion with revenue increases projected at roughly 3.5 percent. Still, the Japanese market is only a tenth of what its U.S. equivalent boasts. What Enterprise is looking for is a way to extend its brand, which will heighten product recognition over its competitors.

And in Nippon’s case, an association with Enterprise is anticipated to increase the profile of Japan’s car rental company to foreign visitors in an increasingly competitive market recently penetrated by ride-sharing companies. Including its airport-based locations, Nippon has 850 locations in Japan, but none outside the country.

Nippon is one of the leading car rental companies in Japan, competing with the likes of Toyota, Orix, times, Nissan and Ekiren, each with multi-lingual customer service amenities and fleet vehicles that offer services in English right down to the in-car GPS systems. Besides Enterprise, other U.S.-based car rental services like Avis and Hertz have partnered with Japanese car rental companies. Just like in the U.S., Japan does have a fledgling ride-sharing market, although its government doesn’t allow those companies to operate in areas where public transportation is available.

So far, no plans to extended discounts between Nippon and fleets under the Enterprise umbrella outside the U.S., Canada and Japan have been announced.

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