Spain Experiences Shortage Of Cars For Hire; Prices Skyrocket

Spain’s car shortage for vehicles for hire this summer has, as predicted, made car hire in Spain much less affordable. As prices soar, tourists are finding prices on car rental sky high, if they can find a vehicle to rent at all. 

The problem is that many car rental agents have decreased their on hand fleet due to profit losses from maintenance during the quiet winter months. However, during the busy summer months, when large resorts like Alicante or Malaga send their guests to hire cars, the guests are having trouble finding one affordable, if not completely sold out. Many booking agents are booked all the way through September in what is proving to be a drastic shortage.

Last winter tourism from UK residents was down 18% and Britain accounts for the highest number of flights from any state in Europe. The drop in tourism caused many agencies to decrease their number of vehicles, anticipating a quiet summer and lower profits. However, the measure proved too extreme and in the height of summer, July and August, most rental places saw a severe shortage as compared to demand. In response many rental agencies have had to increase prices to make up for the lost profits and to be able to remain open.

Spain has seen some areas where the price of car hire as doubled, further straining the purses of UK travellers amidst the recession. A good option for an alternative is Portugal, where prices have remained relatively similar, and other countries around Europe seem to have stayed at normal price ranges.