US-based car hire firm Thrifty has just opened its new regional headquarters in Jordan.

The facility is situated not far from downtown Amman and is also a short distance from Amman’s airport, where the company has rental branches in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Thrifty Jordan’s managing director, Majdi Jallad, said that the move came as a result of a need for more space as the company and tourism continue to grow in the Middle Eastern country. He said that Thrifty caters not only to business and leisure travellers in the region, but also to diplomatic officials from local embassies and to representatives of local corporations.

However Mr Jallad went on to say that tourism figures in Jordan grew by a whopping 38% between 2009 and 2010, pointing to the country’s reputation for political stability as well as government contributions to infrastructure and development.

The news comes as Thrifty Jordan has recently increased its fleet size by 10%. According to Jallad, the rental fleet is comprised primarily of 4WD vehicles and small cars, however he said the former is much more popular, particularly with family holidaymakers. He added that the firm also features a selection of minivans, which are popular amongst groups of six or more people.