Hertz In Russia

Agreement has been reached between Intourist - the Soviet travel organization - and Hertz International, Ltd., to provide Hertz auto rental service in Russia.

The arrangement is the first of its kind made by a worldwide vehicle renting company and the Soviet agency. As a part of the new arrangement, Hertz will be the concessionaire for Intourist customers from the Soviet Union requiring car rental service abroad.

While travelers heretofore have been able to drive rented cars into the Soviet Union via Hertz offices in Vienna and Helsinki, now it will be possible to obtain rental autos in Russia through the facilities of a company with international operations long acquainted with the motoring needs of worldwide travelers.

Representatives of both Hertz and Intourist termed the agreement a significant new link between the East and West. They view it as an added means to promote cultural exchange and tourism since Hertz will provide rentals not only within the Soviet Union for Americans and other visitors, but also will arrange for Soviet citizens to obtain Hertz autos in other countries when traveling outside the U.S.S.R.

"We regard this development as a major step forward," Robert A. Smalley, Hertz president, stated. "Already providing service in the U.S. and many other countries, we have for some time been looking ahead to this - the direct availability of service through Hertz in the U.S.S.R."

Commenting for Intourist, Oleg Lyskin, Director of Travel Information in the U.S.A., said: "We at Intourist are very pleased to have this arrangement with Hertz and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship."

Intourist will provide locations and personnel to facilitate the rental service, initially in such major tourism centers as Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev.

Chaika, Volga and Moskvich cars will be available in the Soviet Union on both a self-drive and chauffeur-driven basis. Observers describe the Chaika as a small limousine-type vehicle and the Moslvich as a car of typical European "economy" size. The Volga is comparable to the familiar medium-size European sedan.

Travelers will be able to reserve a car in Russia through a call to their local Hertz office in the U.S. or abroad. Similarly, Russians will be able to make a car reservation at their Intourist-Hertz office for a rental anywhere in the world where Hertz service is available. Intourist and Hertz expect to produce a joint promotional brochure describing these arrangements.

Beyond the expansion of rental car use, the Russians apparently also envision broader all-around use of autos. Under construction now with Italian cooperation is a large Fiat plant on the Volga River near Kuibyshev. It is reported that when fully operative the factory will be able to build 600,000 cars annually - production that alone would double the number of units turned out in the U.S.S.R. in 1968.