On paper, an international traveler would opt for an international brand to meet certain basic needs. Likewise, some people think that the best car rental service in any town is usually one that looks like a global franchise.
In reality, however, things are not so cut and dry. It is like the debate about whether it is better to go to an international hotel chain rather than explore the unique offerings of local homestays.
The same applies when you are looking for a car rental service in an unfamiliar city. Before heading out, you may have found a big site that says they got a branch that just so happens to be in the same exotic locale you have chosen for your next vacation. You may think you are set, and you feel confident that you no longer have to worry about flagging smelly taxis, or paying attention to drivers hawking their own services to you at the airport.
But upon arrival, you start noticing a few things are off. The international car rental company you looked up is not anywhere near your airport. There is no picture of the cars they actually have available, so you are just forced to make a reservation before waiting for God-knows-what they will be driving you in.
If that is no longer the ideal for you, then perhaps looking up some of the local dealers and service companies may no longer be so bad. Here are just some of the perks these smaller car rentals can offer that you may not expect!
- Knowledge of the area.
Localization and managing overseas branches are the most common problems faced by every business that wants to go global. Car rental service companies are not exempt from this and smaller, local providers will always see this as their advantage.
These car rental services are still more likely to have closer ties to the region’s tourism industry than some branch of a global car rental company that just opened last month. Some even have drivers who know the best sightseeing spots as well as places to eat beyond your usual international fast food chain.
They may not have the cleanest websites, but you can still bet that they can tailor their rates to cover more specific areas of their city and give you plenty of advice before you take the wheel.
- More freedom of movement.
Asides from just area-specific rates, these are also tied with their capacity to give you more access to various parts of town. Some international car rental branches tend to play it too safe, and only stick to routes and areas that are very metropolitan.
In the end, you may as well drop getting a rental car and sign up for a tour package with a van. These are pretty much the same thing, save they can take you to popular tourist spots outside of town (whereas the global rental company may not).
But if you got a good, locally savvy car rental service, then you will likely have more mobility. They are more familiar with the areas and routes that their vehicles will be driving on. They have more confidence that their vehicles can handle it, and can easily find you if you need help.
- They are just as good at treating their vehicles.
When travelling, it is only common courtesy to never let one bad experience represent every local business. Therefore, just because you have heard horror stories of bad car rentals overseas does not mean you can only expect the worst.
There are certainly many local rental services who know how to give you the cleanest, latest and most highly maintained vehicles for your driving pleasure. The cars they have are just as legally registered and regularly disinfected as any high-end hotel van. One does not need to have branches overseas to accomplish that much with an independent operation.
Lastly, perhaps one less known advantage of a local car rental service is its little ties to the community. It is like the difference between eating at a McDonald’s, and eating at a good eatery that is praised by tourists and residents alike. There is something in the connections that even a car rental service can build that is not easily replicated by a global brand.
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