Forecasts are mixed on ground transportation rates for 2011,
though corporate car rental rates should vary little from this year's rates,
analysts said.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel projects corporate car rental rates
will decrease between 1.5 percent and 2 percent from 2010 levels. The National
Business Travel Association, meanwhile, estimated car rental prices would
increase but only by 0.74 percent.
Companies that do not negotiate car rental programs,
however, might have to budget a little extra next year as car rental companies
continue to tighten inventory levels.
"It's still competitive out there in the corporate
market," said Dave Kilduff, senior director of ground transportation
consulting for Carlson Wagonlit Travel's CWT Solutions Group. "With
leisure pricing, there's more gas on the fire raising rates."
Egencia said that while car rental rates in the United
States decreased by 5 percent during the first half of 2010 compared with the
same period in 2009, they would begin to rebound next year, up 3 percent. In
Europe, Egencia forecasts that rates will increase by about 5 percent. In
Canada, however, the agency expects rates to be down slightly.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel projects that chauffeured
transportation rates will decrease even further, down 3 percent to 5 percent
compared with this year's rates.
Carlson Wagonlit said increased ridership would boost rail
ticket prices in North America between 4 percent and 7 percent.
In Europe and the Middle East, however, BCD Travel
consulting unit Advito noted that high-speed rail expansion projects should
boost competition and also serve to lower air prices in the region.
This report appeared in the Oct. 11, 2010, edition of Business Travel
News.