8:33 am, August 6, 2020
Holidaymakers are turning their backs on flying to their holiday destinations and renting cars instead, new figures reveal.
Vehicle rental trade body the BVRLA has reported an increase in demand from leisure and tourism customers for car rentals, and electing not to fly.
During July, demand for the VE103B certificate that allows drivers to take rented or leased vehicles abroad surged, while the number of people visiting the Taking a Vehicle Abroad page of its website increased by 79 per cent.
It’s a significant change compared to the start of the coronavirus pandemic when the BVRLA saw the number of rentals drop ‘off a cliff’.
BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: ‘The easing of lockdown restrictions and summer sun has brought a welcome boost to the vehicle rental sector as an increasing number of holidaymakers look to hire cars, motorhomes and campervans to travel to their UK and European holiday destinations.
‘During the Covid pandemic, the vehicle rental sector has been helping to keep Britain moving, providing cars and vans to key workers and businesses needing additional vehicles to make essential deliveries. We are now pleased to see some green shoots from the sector’s leisure customers, who represent about 43 per cent of those hiring cars in the UK each year.’
Earlier this week, RAC Europe said its research suggested five million motorists were set to drive on the Continent this summer, with an estimated 1.5m of those driving abroad for the first time.
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