Leading car rental provider, Europcar, has won a new contract with Advantage Travel Centres, the biggest central service provider to business and leisure travel agents. The contract further strengthens the relationship between the two companies which goes back more than 10 years. Advantage and Europcar will work together to promote the car rental company as Elite supplier across the Advantage Travel Centre membership base. Europcar will be the only car rental company to carry this unique status.

For the convenience of our customers, all our vehicles are supplied with a full tank of fuel at the start of the rental. Rental rates do not include the cost of fuel unless expressly stated, so a fuel deposit is taken at the start of the rental which is refunded if the car is returned with a full tank.

The purchase gives Europcar its first direct operations outside of
Europe and enhanced access to the fast-growing Asia-Pacific market

Europcar, the European leader in passenger car and light utility vehicle rental, today announced that it hasEntered into an agreement to acquire the Australian and New Zealand subsidiaries of ECA Car Rental, which operates its “Master Franchise” within the Asia-Pacific region. The acquisition gives Europcar direct operations in markets outside of
Europe for the first time. 

Since 2005, ECA Car Rental has national coverage throughout Australia and New Zealand and oversees franchise operations for 28 other countries in Asia-Pacific. In addition to Australia and New Zealand, ECA Car Rental notably launched the Europcar brand in India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand, with more launches planned this year. 

To complete its network in the region, Europcar has developed specific relationships with local partners, entering the Japanese market in 2006 and China earlier this year. 

With an average fleet of more than 7,000 vehicles in Australia and New Zealand, ECA Car Rental managed over 2 million rental days in 2007, generating AUD 123 million (€75 million) in revenues, an increase of 18% over 2006. 

Salvatore Catania, Chief Executive Officer of Europcar Groupe, declared, “For Europcar, this is an important acquisition in several ways. It is a perfect opportunity to enhance our brand and expand a profitable business from a strong existing base. It also provides Europcar with direct access and in-house expertise in the Asia-Pacific region, which is the fastest-growing market in the car rental business.” 

In keeping with the company’s strategy of expanding its global footprint through organic and external growth, this acquisition is the 5^th for Europcar in the past two years. In 2007, the company integrated Vanguard’s National and Alamo brand activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and acquired Betacar, which serves the Canary and
Balearic Islands. In 2006, Europcar strengthened its position in Belgium and Spain, respectively, through the acquisitions of Keddy and Ultramar. 

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ABOUT EUROPCAR

Owned by the French private equity firm Eurazeo, Europcar is the European leader in passenger car and light utility vehicle rentals. Since March 2007 with the acquisition of Vanguard EMEA (National & Alamo brands), its network comprises over 5,300 rental outlets in 160 countries. Europcar serves business and leisure customers throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. Excluding franchise operations, in 2007 Europcar signed more than 10 million rental contracts, with 7,700 employees and a fleet exceeding 215,000 vehicles. For more information www.europcar.com

Demonstrating its commitment to the business travel sector, Europcar, Europe’s leading vehicle rental organisation, has created a dedicated business travel team with Anita Jarratt leading the team as Business Travel Manager.

In an exclusive agreement with Volkswagen, Europcar UK Group is the only UK car rental organisation to offer the Volkswagen Tiguan as part of its fleet in 2008. 100 Volkswagen Tiguan 2 litre TDI S models are now available for rent from Europcar’s Heathrow and Gatwick locations.

The UK’s leading vehicle rental company, Europcar, has strengthened its support of The Association of Children’s Hospices (ACH), with a commitment to donate 50% of the profit from all UK bookings made via children’s hospice websites.

When Julie Goodman went online just before Christmas to book an easyJet flight from Gatwick to Palma de Mallorca for this summer, she got a little more than she bargained for! Julie is the incredibly lucky winner of a brand new, super stylish Vauxhall Astra TwinTop Convertible courtesy of easyJet and its car rental partner, Europcar.

The largest car rental location in Europe has been opened by Europcar UK Group, the UK’s leading vehicle rental provider, with an investment of over £1m. In close proximity to Heathrow Terminal 5, the new, 3.4 acre site on the Perimeter Road opened on 1st April 2008 and is not only the largest in Europe but the most innovative.

Europcar UK Group, the UK’s largest vehicle rental organisation, has appointed David Alexander as Operations Director for Europcar and National Car Rental UK. Bringing over 7 year’s experience in the vehicle rental industry, David will be responsible for a combined network of over 250 Europcar and National locations throughout the UK, following the acquisition of the European operations of National by Europcar UK Ltd in March 2007.

David joined Europcar in May 2001 as Sales and Marketing Director and became Europcar’s Operations and Franchise Director in June 2004. He therefore brings a wealth of valuable knowledge and expertise to his new position.

With Easter next week and the Spring end of term break in April this year, families are bracing themselves for the cost of keeping the kids entertained as schools close their doors for two holidays in quick succession. Europcar, the UK’s leading car rental company is offering some top tips to keeping costs down this Spring: