The latest Auto Rental News coronavirus survey tells the story of an industry that was initially devastated by the pandemic but is in an encouraging — if slow and uneven — process of recovery.
In this survey of independent and franchised car rental operators in the U.S., 58% report a decline of gross revenues of more than 75%, with 17% reporting a 100% decline, essentially as a result of suspending operations.
This Auto Rental News survey is designed to better understand the effects of the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic on the car rental industry.
The survey found most business travelers (81%) engage in some form of "bleisure" travel, including incorporating leisure activities into business travel (61%), extending business travel into leisure trips (41%) and booking a vacation around a business trip (33%).
According to a mobility report by Avis Budget Group, 82% of respondents said owning a car was still important, but 54% said they are prepared to give up car ownership and rely on long-term rental, on-demand, or subscription services in the future.
To better understand the U.S. rental market, Auto Rental News is conducting a business outlook survey of U.S. franchised and independent operations. Survey takers will be entered to win a free registration to the International Car Rental Show.
Conducted online by The Harris Poll among over 2,000 U.S. adults, the survey revealed that 70% of American drivers believe a carsharing service is more economical than owning a vehicle.
Rounding out the least expensive cities, were Miami ($24) and Orlando ($23).
While National retained its titled for the firth year, its scores slightly dropped from the previous year.
The survey also noted that rental car apps have the lowest rate of adoption in the travel industry.