Are you planning a car trip in the US, Europe or even in the country? You should know that there is a great chance that you will not find and even if you do - you will pay much more • "The rules of the game have changed"
Car rental prices will double
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gettyimages
The car rental industry, which is considered an integral part of the tourism industry is changing before our eyes very significantly.
Prices are rising by tens and even hundreds of percent and the expectation is that by the summer there will no longer be vehicles for rent in the United States, in most European countries and even in Israel.
Ophir Danai, CEO of Operan, refers to the situation in the US and explains why we will pay much more soon: "Prices in most companies will double in the near future, you can already see increases of between 25% -100% for orders now for the summer months. From moment to moment in the summer months it will be very difficult for him, it is doubtful if they will find vehicles at all, I do not want to talk about the high prices if they can find them. "
"Americans will fly much less outside the United States, mainly because of restrictions around the world.
The US is big enough to travel and the popular destinations are Texas, California, Florida and more, will receive a significantly larger amount of local tourists than they are used to today. On the other hand there is also a significant drop of about 40% in supply Now, but under the eyes of the authorities. The big groups want to buy cars but have a production limit due to a global shortage of an important component in car production, so the cars they order will not arrive in the summer because everything is delayed in this matter. "Left without vehicles that sold on the one hand, on the other hand there is no expectation of the date when new vehicles will arrive and of course the demand is significantly higher than they were used to," concludes Danai.
The situation is similar in Israel and Europe as well, Boaz Yaakobi, VP of the Shlomo Sixt Group, says, "As early as this Passover, there will probably be no vehicles for rent in Israel, demand is very high and prices are rising accordingly.
Towards next week, this is no longer a question of price, apparently no company will have vehicles on Passover. "
Yaakobi also referred to the change in the pricing method and to countries where it will be very difficult to rent cars soon, "In Europe as in the US this year is expected, at least in the second half of 2021 a shortage of available vehicles.
The main reason is the uncertainty of the rental companies regarding the future and the opening of the sky and therefore we also did not get organized in advance with car purchases in the usual quantities.
In addition, there are companies that economically do not have the ability to buy vehicles which will create a great shortage of vehicles, a big war on every available vehicle and the prices of course will be accordingly, when the demand goes up the price goes up.
Some countries have changed the pricing methods and instead of giving a fixed price to all vehicles, the price will change according to demand, just like the seats on the plane - the last vehicles will cost more than the vehicles ordered long in advance - all the rules of the game have changed.
We will feel the shortage in Europe in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Austria and all the traditional and well-known destinations for car trips. "
