WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — As people across Wisconsin and around the nation are getting vaccinated and getting more comfortable to venture out, AAA says they're seeing an uptick in rental car bookings in the travel industry.
Molly Hart, a spokesperson with AAA said there’s been an increased demand for domestic travel. However, with this increase, she said many people are actually facing the challenge of renting a car.
Hart says this challenge is based on a tiny part inside cars.
“There is a delay in the production of semi-conductor chips and so this is producing a domino effect with rental car companies because they cannot increase their inventory of new vehicles in time to meet the increase demand for domestic travel," Hart said.
The Appleton International Airport has also seen an increase of travelers.
The airport said they saw an increase of 23 percent of travelers this year compared to March 2020.
“As you’ve seen more people get out and experience travel you are seeing a lot of people renting those cars, taking drives, getting outdoors, outdoor places whether it’d be the mountain or beach so you are seeing a shortage of rental cars," said Abe Weber, Appleton International Airport Director.
NBC 26 reached out to Enterprise Holdings for an interview multiple times. While we didn’t speak to them directly they provided the following comment:
“As more states begin to loosen restrictions, and as vaccine distribution becomes more widely available, people are looking forward to traveling again. This is reflected in the demand we are seeing, with many areas – especially popular vacation destinations – experiencing upticks in bookings going into the spring and summer. We strongly encourage those planning to travel to reserve a vehicle as early as possible. Additionally, providing flexible travel dates in their search may also help increase their options. We are working hard to help customers get back on the road again, including leveraging our large network of neighborhood and airport locations to move vehicles where possible to support regional spikes in demand.”
In the meantime, AAA said they recommend anyone who is considering traveling to book in bundles. They say booking in bundles can help you snag those deals and make sure you are able to secure a rental.
Weber also agrees and says they offer those services here at the Appleton International Airport.
“We always say its best to book your rental car right when you book your flight just so you know it’s there reserved for you. Some of the airlines bundle that rental car in like our Allegiant here in Appleton you can bundle the rental car into your itinerary so that it’s there for you when you arrive,” Weber said.
Weber also shares he has been seeing an increase of business travelers in recent days.
