source : telegraph.co.uk
By Sophie Butler
Published: 3:19PM BST 29 Mar 2010
Car hire costs are on the increase. A recent survey by price comparison website, Travelsupermarket, says a week's hire of a small, economy car this Easter in the popular holiday destinations of
Malaga, Alicante and Palma is two-thirds more expensive than last year, averaging a rise from about £85 to nearly £140 per week.
Car hire companies blame the price rise on demand outstripping supply. Most have cut back on their fleets due to the poor economic climate, but in some destinations this means there simply aren't enough vehicles to go around.
So how can you keep car hire costs to a minimum? As my price comparison table shows, brokers such as Holiday Autos and Holiday Cars Direct can usually offer the best deals by negotiating rates with local or international car hire companies. Their online quotes are likely to be the most competitive. Airlines and tour operators may also be a good bet since they usually have an agreement with one of the international car hire firms. You can sometimes get a cheaper deal through links on their websites, than by contacting the car hire providers direct, but these prices are still unlikely to match those offered by the brokers....
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