2008.10.03

How people react on limousines in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a country where more than half of population live in poverty, unemployment rate is more than 40% and inflation reaches double digit rates. But despite this difficult economic situation people in Afghanistan have tradition of big weddings celebration. Afghan families can spend up to $30,000 or more on a "proper" wedding (depending on their social status) and often they have to borrow money and the next 10 years repay marriage debt.

Said Maqsud, Afghan citizen, could use this fact and organize successful business even in such country like Afghanistan. He is first and the only man in Afghanistan who operates company providing limousine hire services. His company is based in Kabul and offers a fleet of three second-hand Lincolns shipped in from Los Angeles during 2 years already. Mostly the company provides limousines for weddings, but also offers its limos for office parties, a short spin around the city and airport pick-up.

Because of economic situation Said Maqsud has to offer limousine hire services around 10 times cheaper than in US. But nevertheless his business is prospering because as long as people marry they will use his limousines for weddings and until now his business has no competition.

Even though not all the population of Afghanistan got used to limousines in the streets. Some people are still surprised seeing such strange-looking cars, limousines remind them airplane without wings or an egg with two yolks. People don't understand why the car has to be so long, it makes more sense for them to divide one limousine and have two cars instead.

But Said Maqsud believes in great future of his business and until now he has really succeeded in limousine hire industry.