Europcar Australia Sees Booking Increase for Summer
Europcar’s rental bookings for the summer have increased as more Australians plan to stay at home for the holiday this year.

Photo via Wikimedia.

Photo via Wikimedia.
Europcar Australia’s rental bookings for the summer have increased as more Australians plan to stay at home for the holiday this year.
Most travelers book their car rental only about a month in advance, but forward bookings are up 10% in December, 20% in January and 38% in February, according to Europcar.
Ron Santiago, CEO of Europcar Australia and New Zealand, said the forward bookings suggest that more people would be holidaying at home this summer rather than traveling internationally.
“Certainly travelers are more prepared this year and locking in their car hire much earlier than usual to get a good rate and peace of mind that their holiday is booked and ready to enjoy,” said Santiago. “The dollar could be somewhat of a factor in the desire to holiday at home, but the tourism industry in Australia has also responded really well and is making a great case to explore our backyard rather than travel overseas.”
January’s forward bookings also included a strong demand for Europcar’s bike carrier vehicles in Adelaide during the Tour Down Under. The bike carrier vehicles include the Renault Koleos bike with a car rack.
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