Hertz Rent-a-Car has announced the launch of an Arabic language function across its Middle East regional websites, offering 86 million Arabic-speaking Internet users the option to book Hertz car rentals in their preferred language for the first time.

To be introduced at the beginning of June, the move was announced by Elyes Mrad, vice president of sales and marketing for Hertz International, at a media briefing session during Arabian Travel Market (ATM), currently taking place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Arabic option, which will initially be available across the local Hertz website domains in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, is the latest in a wave of new investment into the Middle East region by Hertz over the last 12 months.

Mrad said that it is also the culmination of a three-year target to be the market leader across the Middle East through customer centric innovations, after opening a regional corporate office in Dubai in 2010. Following the continued roll out of domestic Hertz website domains, most recently introduced in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Turkey, online bookings have since jumped up by 40 percent, according to Mrad.

In the last 12 months, Hertz has appointed general sales agents in Kuwait, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. And in June 2012, Hertz launched a dedicated 24/7 Arabic and English-speaking customer call center, currently operational in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, and to be introduced to other markets as the year progresses.

Mrad added: "The Middle East region is the perfect example of the pace of change happening in the world, and has huge growth potential for Hertz outbound car rentals. Middle East customers have a very high per transaction value, because they typically reserve larger, more premium cars, and book for longer periods."