Car hire leaders, Avis, have announced that they will be the designated supplier of rental vehicles at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai this year. The event will run until October and will cater for more than 70 million visitors. For many the event is the Olympic Games of technology, science and the economy.

Chief executive of Avis India, Sunil Gupta, said that he was extremely excited that Avis had been chosen as the official partner to the international event. He added that the company was determined to provide a service to its customers which would make it easy for them to navigate the city of Shanghai.

Special rates on chauffer driven cars will be offered to Avis customers. This is important because international driver’s licenses are not recognised by the Chinese authorities. The Shanghai traffic can also be a little daunting for those who are visiting the city for the first time.

Avis has already imported 100 vehicles to add to its fleet in Shanghai. The rental firm has also hired 100 chauffeurs to be made available to customers at the event. Mr Gupta said that all Avis drivers were highly experienced and that most had a fair knowledge of English.

Avis will also supply 20 Mercedes Benz S600s to the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office. An additional 25 chauffeur driven hybrid Smart cars will be made available at the Expo’s Swiss Pavilion. Avis has also set up a partnership with Xinlv Travel to supply guests staying at 30 of the city’s 5-star hotels with transport solutions.