RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Many Brazilians are now starting to make plans for their international trips, more optimistic with a possible reopening of borders.
According to data from Rentcars.com, an online platform for car rental, reservations made by Brazilians to various destinations around the world increased 37% in May compared to April. Compared to the same period in 2020, when there were no vaccination prospects, the figures are more impressive: the amount of rentals surged over 140%.
Global Partnerships director at Rentcars.com Vivian Almeida points out that the advance of immunization against Covid-19 in Brazil, along with the news that several countries are opening their borders to fully vaccinated people, is leading Brazilians to plan their trips again.
“We still believe that the World Health Organization’s approval of the emergency use of CoronaVac will yield more positive results in the coming months. Soon, we hope that some countries will allow vaccinated Brazilians to travel to their territories, as we have seen happen in the European Union,” the director says.
Another change in behavior pointed out by Rentcars.com is that Brazilians’ reservations to the United States increased again.
Before the pandemic, 4 North American cities were among the 5 favorite destinations for renting cars abroad: Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles, responsible for over 50% of bookings made on the website in January 2020.
In the same period of 2021, Cancún (Mexico) was the preferred location for 42.5% of bookings.
“In May, the 4 North American cities accounted for 28.3% of bookings made, while Cancún received 38.4% of bookings. In January, the 4 cities accounted for 21.1% of bookings, and we have seen this number increase each month,” Vivan says.
Travelers regain confidence to travel but find higher rates
The director of Rentcars.com states that the car rental sector is rebounding worldwide.
In May this year, domestic reservations grew 10% and international reservations increased 15%. Europe is the market that stood out, with a 60% increase in bookings compared to April.
“To keep on gaining ground in this market, we have invested in partnerships in this continent. During this year, Rentcars.com closed 13 new partnerships and expanded the operation market of 30 rental companies with which it already worked, with a great focus on Italy and Portugal,” emphasizes Vivian.
However, just like Brazil, several countries have reduced fleets, which has raised the price of car rentals. Latin America has been the territory with the highest increase in car rental prices: the average daily rate is 100% more expensive than last year.
Mexico, which became the favorite international destination during the pandemic, shows the highest rate increase of all markets, with a 283% variation. Another country following the same trend is Costa Rica, with prices 69% higher than in 2019.
“A good tip is always to book the car in advance, which helps to get better rates for your trip,” adds the director of Rentcars.com.