Avis Car Rental has officially entered the Taiwan market with the opening of three rental locations in Taiwan, the company announced today, adding that this makes Avis the first international car rental company to operate on the island.

The new Avis facilities are located at Tao Yuan International Airport, downtown Chu-Pei City and downtown HsinChu City, serving the Taiwan community and visitors with a wide range of well-maintained, late-model vehicles, short- and long-term rentals, personal and corporate car leasing programs, and premium chauffeur and transfer services.

"Taiwan's fast-growing economy and increasing car rental demand make this the perfect time to launch our Avis brand here," said Patric Siniscalchi, president, Latin America/Asia-Pacific, Avis Budget Group. "We're excited to further expand our global footprint and, in doing so, deliver against one of our strategic objectives. Now, more business and leisure travelers can enjoy our world-class products and services."

In Asia, Avis is a leading provider of vehicle rental services, vehicle leasing and limousine/premium chauffeur services with operations in more than 300 locations through a network of wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and licensee agreements.

Avis' presence in Asia can be traced back to 1970, when the company opened its first location in Hong Kong. Operations in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Pakistan and Sri Lanka followed in 1972. Avis now has locations in 18 markets including India, Mainland China and Vietnam.