Date:19/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/06/19/stories/2006061903240100.htm

Back Car rental cos adopt novel ways to lure customers

Our Bureau

Also betting on self-drive business

New Delhi , June 18

Renting a car is no longer about just plain hiring a cab. With more and more international players jumping into this fast-growing business, car rental companies are coming up with innovative strategies ranging from packages targeted at women to promoting the self-drive concept to even auctioning rent-a-car packages online to push sales.

Rental packages

European rentals major Sixt, for instance is planning to auction car rental packages online starting at Re 1 in addition to marketing pre-paid vouchers for both in-bound and outbound travellers.

"We have tied up with leading travel Web sites for auctioning the packages. In addition, with the popularity of travel Web sites increasing, we are increasingly leveraging upon these tie-ups to offer facilities such as airport transfers," said Mr Vikas Marwah, Corporate Head, Marketing & Alliances, Sixt India.

According to estimates, over 5000 air tickets are booked daily on the top domestic travel Web sites.

Sixt is also planning to market rentals packages for lady corporate travellers, which among other safety/convenience features provides lady chauffeurs.

Self-drive biz

Meanwhile, with the concept of weekend getaways gaining popularity, car rental companies are increasingly betting on the self-drive business as well.

Hertz, for instance, is looking to significantly expand its self-drive business. According to Mr Rajiv K. Vij, CEO of the Hertz licensee in India, the firm is expanding its fleet to include sports utility vehicles for the holiday traveller and also to include cars such as a stretch limo.

"We are promoting the self-drive concept aggressively. We have, for instance, made the initial paperwork such as insurance much easier. Further, we are offering high-end SUVs and even customised vehicles for our customers," Mr Marwah said. Sixt would be focusing on Goa and Kochi for its self-drive business.

Sixt, which is rapidly expanding its presence across the country, is targeting its fleet to over 5,000 cars over the next 18-20 months.