International car hire company Auto Europe has witnessed a recent sharp rise in bookings for UK-based trips during busy school holiday periods.

According to Auto Europe’s commercial director for the UK and Ireland, Peter McAree, car rental figures for British destinations during the 2009 February half term, and looking forwards to the Easter holidays, have more than doubled in comparison to 2008.

This indicates that many more families are substituting foreign resorts with a bargain break closer to home.

“We’re still receiving spring bookings for traditional destinations – like Spain, France and Portugal – but the number of cars being hired within the UK is up dramatically on the same period last year,” explains McAree.

“There are some fantastic deals available across the country right now, and as budgets get tighter more people seem to be taking advantage of them more than ever before.”

To cater for cost-conscious travellers, Auto Europe can guarantee some of the best prices available, from the world’s most trusted suppliers. Current UK car hire offers include:

• From the beginning of April – £119 per week (£124.50 from airports/ central London). As a partner of leading UK short break specialist Superbreak, Auto Europe can also provide a range of cut-price hotel, dinner and theatre packages via www.auto-europe.co.uk, such as:
• Billy Elliot theatre tickets and three-star hotel from £69.50 per person
• The Park Royal four-star hotel near Chester, two nights plus one night’s dinner from £94.50 per person
• Grease theatre tickets and three-star hotel from £67.10 per person
• Three-star Jury’s Inn hotel in Edinburgh – two-night dinner deal from £99.50 per person