The summer holiday driving season is upon us, and with it comes new warnings about the right amount of sleep.
Roadsafe, the leading UK road safety group, has advised drivers to ensure that they get plenty of sleep in the period before they set out on any lengthy journey to avoid serious accidents this summer.
According to Roadsafe, around 300 deaths on UK roads every year can be attributed to driver sleepiness, while the Department for Transport has estimated that as much as 20 per cent of all accidents on major UK roads are through lack of sleep by drivers. Both have [...]

UK consumers have been told to wise up when hiring a vehicle in the EU.
The warning comes from leading consumer group the UK European Consumer Centre, who claims that British motorists are failing to take basic precautions when renting on the continent.
The statement from the UKECC follows a sharp rise in number of consumer complaints from UK consumers relating to car hire within the EU have skyrocketed in the first part of 2010, with general inquiries also up markedly. Complaints from UK drivers rose by nearly 30 per cent in the first five months of this year compared to the [...]

The collapse of tour operator, Goldtrail, is likely to leave thousands of holidaymakers waiting months for any kind of refund on holidays they have already booked. This will mean many will not be in a position to book another holiday with another travel agent this summer. For those already on holiday the Civil Aviation Authority says that it does not see any major disruption being experienced.
Over the weekend around half of the 16,000 currently on a break booked through Goldtrail were brought back to the UK. Also at the weekend, many people arriving at airports to set off on their [...]

The widespread European economic crisis has been hard felt in Iceland.
A new report has revealed that the cost of a summer car rental for a period of one week can cost in the hundreds of thousands of Iceland kronur (ISK), with rental cars found in some locations for over ISK 100,000 – around $800 or Euro 631.
If any travellers are planning on heading to the picturesque northern destination, they should bear in mind that anything loner than three weeks, as a good condition second-hand vehicle can be bought for the same price.
According to local news source Frettabladid, the cost to [...]

The car hire industry in Turkey is booming, with prices being driven up by high demand.
The summer holiday season for the popular Mediterranean destination has seen a huge demand for rental vehicles, which has been compounded by the growing number of Turkish expats returning home.
The result is that business volume has grown by 50 per cent this summer already, and prices have been pushed upwards also by an average of 30 per cent.  Car rental company owner and manager Tuncay Kilic told local news sources that in the past Turkish expats had often opted to drive home for their family [...]

United Arab Emirates (UAE) holiday drivers heading abroad this summer can take advantage of a great range of new rental deals from Hertz.
Hertz, the largest general use car rental company in the world, has launched the new deals as the region continues to boom as a business and expat destination, meaning an increasing number of residents who will be travelling from the area this holiday season, even as inbound tourism arrives.
For a limited time, holiday makers from the UAE can take advantage of discounts on selected Hertz rentals at a huge number of participating destinations, including the UK, Italy, Belgium, [...]

UK Holiday drivers have been encouraged to study road rules at their intended holiday destination this summer.
The advice was issued by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), which has urged holiday drivers to familiarise themselves with all of the laws in foreign countries if they plan on driving there, in order to avoid unnecessary charges, stress and even possible prosecution.
The IAM stated that having a clear understanding of all overseas road signs is a must before setting off, as is making sure to obey them at all times. Local road regulations, including being aware of speed limits and who has [...]

Leading Asian car rental organisation Avis has announced the launch of a new branch in Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh City, previously known as Saigon, is Vietnam’s economic, technology, science, commerce and industry hub and is the country’s leading financial driving force.
The opening in Ho Chi Minh City coincides with the Avis philosophy of expansion in the rapidly growing Southeast Asian market and aims to meet increasing demand of visitors to the region. The new outlet means that Avis is the sole international car rental outfit that serves two areas of the nation.
The new depot is located in the [...]

Travel companies across the country are reporting a massive rise in the number of people booking last minute holidays following England’s early exit from the World Cup at the hands of Germany. Thomas Cook and Thomson said that England’s defeat, coupled with a weakening Euro, was providing an unexpected boost for a travel industry which has had a rocky ride recently.
Holiday bookings this year have been hit by a variety of factors including the aftermath of a volcanic ash cloud over Europe, a series of strikes by British Airways cabin crew, Air Passenger Duty and an unpredictable economic climate.
Co-operative travel [...]

England’s early exit from the World cup has resulted in a surge of last minute holiday bookings. According to Lastminute.com, within a few hours of England’s elimination by Germany, bookings had risen by 25 per cent on the day before. Andy Washington, Lastminute’s head of travel, said that people seem to be booking a summer holiday as a way of getting over the soccer blues.
The fact that the pound is at the highest level against the euro at the moment compared to any time in the last 19 months is also a cause for celebration for the British holidaymaker.
Since this [...]