Car rental firms in South Africa optimistic as economy recovers
January 25, 2010
Car hire in
South Africa has recorded a an upturn in fortunes recently, with a
successful festive season combined with the upcoming FIFA World Cup providing a
boost for car hire companies following the economic crisis which plagued the
industry in 2009.
The Christmas/New Year season proved to be a very good time for car hire firms
operating in South Africa, with a significant increase in bookings recorded,
especially around coastal areas, with one car hire company reporting that they
were so overwhelmed with demand for vehicles, and at one point, they completely
ran out of cars.
A spokesman for Europcar South Africa said that the figures speak for
themselves, and pointed out that there had been a marked increase in the number
of tourists visiting the country. Despite the figures not reaching levels prior
to the offset of the economic downturn, they are considerably higher than this
time last year. Also, domestic holiday travel within South Africa has also
reported a 12 per cent increase during the Christmas period, which is also
another encouraging sign.
With the 2010 World Cup just around the corner, car hire firms have received an
increase in car hire bookings. The world famous event is expected to descent
upon South Africa this summer, bringing thousands of fans along with it. Some
car hire companies have recorded a surge in bookings for this period as the
games draw closer. Some car hire companies have also promised to add new cars
to their fleet in order to deal with the additional demand of World Cup
travellers.
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