Brits Escape the Gloom and Doom

January 9, 2009

Almost 1 in 5 Took More Holidays Abroad in 2008

TEDDINGTON, ENGLAND, January 09, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A survey by Alamo Rent A Car, world specialists in holiday car hire, has found that while family budgets have been under increasing pressure in the past year, few changed their holiday plans. In fact, the survey of over 300 customers showed that 83% either enjoyed the same number of holidays abroad in 2008 as they did in 2007, or took more.

Although rising costs and the global economic downturn have put pressure on earnings, 34% of respondents said they had taken two holidays abroad in 2008, 30% had taken three and 66% said that had taken the same holidays in 2008 as 2007. The rest were evenly split with almost 1 in 5 (17%) saying they had increased the number of holidays abroad they had taken during 2008 and the same amount reduced the number of holidays they took.

The survey also revealed that, perhaps unsurprisingly, 37% spent less on their holidays in 2008 compared to 2007. Asked which areas they cut back on, 48% budgeted on flight, 35% on accommodation and 33% looked for cheap car hire.

Amy Dorrington, Marketing Director for Alamo Rent A Car comments: "It's interesting to see that 91% of all those surveyed took a holiday abroad in 2008. So while 2008 may have been the year of the "staycation", the foreign vacation remains the expense that people are not prepared to cut back on - even in times of recession. Instead people are becoming savvier about what and how they spend and Alamo's inclusive rates and great value car rental make it easy for holidaymakers to budget carefully for their holiday."

For further press information please contact Alison Reeson, Margot Tomkinson or Cecile Stearn at HSL, Churcham House, 1 Bridgeman Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 9AJ. Telephone: 020 8977 9132. Fax: 020 8977 5200. email:alamoteam@harrisonsadler.com

Notes to Editors

For over 30 years, Alamo has been a market leader in the car rental industry serving more than 15 million travellers annually, through 1248 different locations in 68 countries with a fleet of more than 180,000 vehicles. In the US and Canada, Alamo has 293 locations as well as more than 955 locations in Europe, Latin America, Caribbean, South Africa and Australia. This year Alamo celebrates 20 years in Europe.

Booking car rental is easy at http://www.alamo.co.uk. Designed specifically for UK travellers, http://www.alamo.co.uk allows customers to book car rental worldwide in just 4 steps, with all the costs shown clearly prior to confirmation.