A Car Rental Crisis Looms Over Spain’s Costa del Sol This Easter Due to a Shortage of Available Vehicles for the Sector
Renting a car this easter is about to get very difficult as the cars are just not available for hire. The worldwide microchip shortage is being blamed for the crisis as it is having an effect on the production and supply of new vehicles.
According to statistics, there has been a 50% decrease in the number of rental vehicles registered in 2022 compared to 2021, and with tourism picking up after the pandemic, there are concerns about meeting demand from Easter onwards. The rental car fleet in the province currently stands at around 40,000 vehicles.
Andalucía has also seen a 40% drop in new vehicles registered for the rental sector in 2022, with Malaga province dominating with a 70% share of the trade. Malaga province saw the highest number of new registrations, with 2,482 out of the 3,527 total vehicles registered. The president of the Association of Car Rental Service Entrepreneurs (AESVA), Ana María García, expressed concern that the lack of new cars will negatively impact the Costa del Sol as a tourist destination.
The reduction in rental vehicles is a result of the pandemic’s impact on the tourism industry, leading to a reduction in fleet size as companies struggled with liquidity and fewer clients.
An increase in tourism for Spain as a whole is forecast for this year and car rental prices are expected to rise sharply due to demand.
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