The figure represents 13.1 percent of all new passenger vehicles registered in Portugal, meaning roughly one in every eight cars entering the market went to a rent-a-car operator.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese automotive market recorded 17,209 vehicle registrations in August, an 11.3 percent increase compared with the same month last year.

According to figures by ACAP, passenger cars accounted for 14,068 of those registrations, while 2,449 were light commercial vehicles.

Automotive industry

These latest figures show the growing weight of the rental sector within the automotive industry, which represent a sizable source of demand for manufacturers and dealers, as rental companies play a role in putting newer vehicles into circulation.

The association also pointed to the economic impact of the sector, as rent-a-car companies contribute to the renewal of the country’s vehicle fleet and subsequently help feed the used-car market when vehicles leave the rental industry.

Furthermore, the data showcases the close relationship between car rental, tourism and mobility in Portugal, particularly when providing vehicles to visitors and other short-term users.

As reported by ARAC, more than 2,000 new passenger cars were acquired by rental companies in a single month, reinforcing the sector’s position in the country’s automotive and tourism economies.