Posted on March 26, 2009 by Fiona Hilliard

As recessionary travellers choose domestic holidays over foreign breaks, rental car companies are finding a sharp increase in demand for car hire, according to the latest findings by Europcar. 

Their stats reveal a boost in UK-based holidays in 2008, causing a rise in the number of cars hired.  Europcar predicts that the trend will continue this year as UK holidaymakers look to cut holiday costs again. 

According to the survey, 27% of Europcar’s customers in the UK said they rented vehicles because they had reservations about their own car’s reliability, 24 per cent rented when they needed a larger vehicle and 21 per cent said they hire a car when their car has broken down.  Almost 23% of car rental customers said they hired a car because they did not own one. 

That said, it can’t harm domestic economies much if holidaymakers choose to pump money into their back yard rather than far flung destinations. 

The bottom line is you’ll need to book early his year, whether you’re staying at home or going foreign.