Clients hitting the open road can expect luxury rentals in Italy, convenience in Orlando, and even the ability to check on their rental status using Amazon Alexa.
Avis
Clients heading to Universal Orlando can book Avis cars right at their onsite hotel. Avis is opening five facilities at Universal Orlando properties, and clients can seamlessly rent their car at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, and Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. In addition, opening this summer will be an Avis counter at Universal’s Aventura Hotel.
“Universal’s theme parks in Orlando and Hollywood are popular attractions in the United States visited by travelers the world over,” said Stephen Wright, senior v.p., global travel, partnerships and associations, Avis Budget Group, in press materials. “Establishing an onsite presence at Universal/Loews properties allows us to expand our off-airport presence to serve customers’ mobility needs where and when they need them.”
Guests of Universal Parks & Resorts also receive discounted rates and special offers for rentals with Avis, and Avis vehicles are featured in Universal Parks & Resorts’ online booking tool.
Avis has also partnered with Amazon to reward its customers with every rental. Amazon customers who book an Avis vehicle can save money on their rental and receive an Amazon.com gift card (valued at 10 percent of their rental price). And, agents, if you book your clients’ Avis car using Amazon Alexa, your client will receive an Amazon.com gift card valued at 20 percent of their rental. Right now this is only available for rentals in the U.S., but the company expects to expand into other markets.
Incidentally, since last year, travelers have been able to check on the status of their reservation and request an e-receipt of their rental using Amazon Alexa.
Travel advisors, meanwhile, have access to Avis’ Unlimited Rewards loyalty program, which rewards you on rental transactions in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand. Unlimited Rewards can be earned for completed bookings via the Carey International portfolio of executive transportation services, including Carey and Embarque, as well as Hilton hotel brands around the globe, including, but not limited to Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, and DoubleTree
by Hilton. Dollar rewards are loaded monthly onto an Unlimited Rewards prepaid debit card that agents can use to make purchases anywhere.
Enterprise
As part of the company’s ongoing expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is now operating in the Dominican Republic with four new locations at the Dominican Republic’s airports, including Punta Cana International Airport; Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo; Cibao International Airport in Santiago de los Cabelleros; and Gregorio Luperon International Airport in Puerto Plata.
Travelers heading to the DR can also enjoy added perks and rewards with the expansion of two loyalty programs: Enterprise Plus through the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand, and the Emerald Club through the National Car Rental brand. Through the Emerald Club, members earn vehicle upgrades according to their membership level. Members can also choose to earn free rental days or frequent-traveler miles or points with one of National’s airline or hotel partners. Emerald Club members renting in Latin America or the Caribbean can take advantage of the Emerald Club Priority Service, which expedites the rental process with a dedicated line at the service counter exclusively for its members. Enterprise Plus members earn points they can redeem anytime for free rental days; and they can move on to Silver, Gold, or Platinum status, with the use of their membership, to gain more reward options.
Enterprise Holdings is set to expand in Turkey this year with a $210 million investment. In addition, Turkish Airlines and Enterprise Holdings signed a 3-year agreement in October, offering airline passengers the ability to rent from the Enterprise, National, and Alamo brands through the airline’s website.
Ozarslan Tangun, CEO of Enterprise Turkey, said in press materials that the company also plans to triple the number of its existing 50 offices in the country over the next three years, and “aims to increase their penetration, especially within the city.
“There is a revival in tourism this year. We also see this in our own reservations. Compared to last year, both booking and car rental figures have increased significantly,” he added.
Hertz
For those clients heading to Italy, let them know that Hertz Italy has added Maserati vehicles—Maserati Quattroporte, Maserati Ghibli, and Maserati Levante—to its Selezione Italia by Hertz Fun Collection. The Maseratis are available for one year at select Hertz locations in Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, and Olbia.
Contact Information
Avis: avis.com; unlimited-rewards.com
Carey International: carey.com
Enterprise Holdings: enterpriseholdings.com
Hertz: hertz.com
