Its a shame many will not return because they feel car hire companies have taken advantage of the situation and over charged many people.

Well, most car rental companies suffered big time in 2008, and it is unlikely that any are taking advantage of anything. This is a survival game.
The amount of cars offered have been reduced, and normal market forces drives the prices up.

sorry but your comment beggars belief. Car availability is reduced yes because companies can’t get loans to replace stock. So Companies have raised charges to very high level so a four day hire of a smart car has risen from €254 to €487 for august. People who pre booked have been cancelled so their cars could be given to better paying late customers.

They have the cars, they want maximum extra profit and are by this action telling customers to go elsewhere next year. Car companies will start offering great deals next year and find the customers are gone. then they will collapse. Why because of greed for one year.

Alan J. – which companies hire out Smart Cars? I’d like to hire one (though I don’t know if I will at those prices!).

nor would I but a visitor mine got offered one by a Malaga airport based supplier.

Don’t know about August but next week you can hire a Ford Ka for a week for about 160 Euros. Couldn’t find any Smart Cars though.

But now the season is almost over and they really must compete again. However the damage is done. I have had three groups cancel their future booking because of excessive car hire charges and they are now going to Turkey in 2 cases and Cyprus in one. The car hire people lose and now so do I when I held my prices.

I am afraid that you are seeing the continual demise of Spain as a tourism destination for external tourism.Through contacts in the trade around the inland costa del sol area,i see many tourists at first hand. This year i have asked all the guests how there holiday had been. The accommodation was perfect, as was the weather and thats where it ends . The previous posts about car hire have shown the excesses, some of the guests paid over 500 eu for a week in a small car. The car hire fuel scam, full tank x litres at x price bring in back empty is another turn off,damage waiver a rip off, cars dented and scratched paid for over and over again.Poor quality of food and service,possibly acceptable at 1.50eu to the £ but poor value at 1.02eu. The spanish need to get a grip when it comes to food. Cost of entering childrens venues 20/30euros a head at water parks and similar attractions,crumbling and old attractions, nowhere to get out of sun except in fee paying establishments bars ect.
I think the hype that people are returning in false .if you stand in a line waiting to catch a plane or whilst waiting for family count the expats and families of expats this is where the increase is coming from.
Whilst writing i must congratulate the airport on keeping the place moving throughout the upheaval of modernisation.

Whilst I view and generally agree with “el cinico” points. It is true that Spain is still a great place to come too, But the car hire scam has seriously damaged the tourist view of Spain. I have no forward booking for the coming year and this is the first time in five years. My regulars are considering their position and will let me know after Christmas their plans. My discussions with two groups have made clear to me that they feel Turkey and Cyprus appears to be a better deal all round.