From airline tickets to rental cars. If you book directly to a rental car company website it can cost you $600 or more to rent a car (for 1 week) in some cites, more than the damn plane ticket.

-- Modified on 6/27/2008 6:20:26 PM

hotel chains left....all owned by Exxon!
The price of tickets will be outrageous...but worse...there may be no flights to anywhere near where one wants to go.  2 airlines right now are going to stop flights to Orlando by summers end...the bookings for flights hasn't dropped...they just don't make enough money going there ...HUH??? So  even if providers DO find a way to travel...no one will be able to afford to see them anyway.

I heard on that some rental car companies give big discounts to people willing to take an SUV or minivan.  Downside is the gas, but if it costs $600 a week for an economy car, an SUV might be cheaper.

...you just need to know where to look .  I have seen plenty of half price rentals using codes from airlines etc....cheap airfares can still be found if you stay away from weekends helps too.

I just rent a full size chev from Almo for $250 for 7days unlimted milage

As they always have, especially independents and agency ladies.  They just add a bit to their rates to cover increasing costs of doing so.  Like any other business.

Touring ladies generally visit a city, get a room and do in calls. Most of the ones I've seen take a cab to the hotel and back to the airport to fly back home. I have seen a few ladies advertising a gas surcharge for LOCAL out calls but that's about it.

There are a lot of economic issues effecting the hobby but I really don't see the cost of a rental car being one of them.  Air fares have gone up incrementally but there are still plenty of good deals out there if you are flexible on your travel days.

-- Modified on 6/28/2008 6:45:40 PM

If they plan on staying in a city for more than a day or two, they might want to be able to get around on their own and not rely on the city's taxicabs or public transportation system.  They also might want to sightsee while in town (or just get out of the hotel room when they're not working), so I could see where a rental car might factor into their overall travel costs, even if they're just offering incall only.

-- Modified on 6/28/2008 6:51:24 PM

It is luxury, not a necessity to doing their job.  They are traveling to earn a living, not on vacation. While I certainly see the advantages to having a rental the cost, even in better economic times, is usually not worth it for the minimal amount of use the vehicle would get. I travel about five months out of the year for work and I haven't rented a car in almost two years.  When you are working there simply isn't the need most of the time.
Of course it is a choice the lady has to make but I doubt providers are going to stop touring over the price of something they rarely even bother with.

Gas, of course but not the rental. Hybrids have gone up a little and they don't upgrade you to one as often.

But I'm with the others. I think most provders never rent cars.

and like you, I haven't noticed any real increase.

As far as the neccesity of renting a car, I think it depends on the city you are visiting, and the availibility of public tranportation and taxis. I live in Atlanta and I would hate to visit here without access to a vehicle unless I was confining my visit strictly to downtown/midtown. OTOH I you are traveling to any major eastern city for a one or two day trip, the chances of you simply parking the car until your departure are greater than not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bdE5VfcvmY

zipcar.com  

-- Modified on 6/30/2008 8:45:03 PM