According to RateHawk, a B2B online platform for booking hotels, flights, and transfers, the number of bookings for ground transportation services has doubled, and the gross booking value has increased by 130% compared to last year. While road trips and car rental services remain especially popular in Europe and North America, demand for transfers is surging amid the growing popularity of Asian destinations.
RateHawk registered the 100% growth of transfer services in the first ten months of the year compared to the previous year. Every third agent who booked a hotel via RateHawk for clients also booked a transfer service.
The top five destinations where transfers are the most popular include Italy, Spain, the USA, France, and the UK. Moreover, following the global trend toward travel in Asia, there has been significant growth in demand for transfers in Asian destinations such as Japan, Vietnam, China, and Singapore. Other rapidly growing markets include Egypt and Qatar.
“Overall, our partners can book transfers from 19 trusted suppliers in 165 countries. In many locations, transfers are a more convenient and cost-effective alternative to taxis. Offering transfers to their clients, travel agents ensure a more pleasant experience from the very beginning of their trip: the price is set in advance, the driver arrives at the required time, even at night, and travellers don’t need to download new apps or look for a driver after a long flight. At RateHawk, we provide travel agents with a carefully curated selection of accommodation and transport options, enabling them to book an entire trip for their clients in one place, rather than switching between multiple platforms,” says Fredrik Bonnalt, Head of Non-Accommodation Supply at Emerging Travel Group, RateHawk’s parent company.
Car rentals also have shown steady growth throughout the year, with a notable seasonal peak in July. By October, the number of car rentals made via the RateHawk platform had doubled compared to the beginning of the year. The top five destinations where travelers prefer to explore by car are the USA, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France.
“Car rental services became available online this January. Before that, they were offered offline, and it’s exciting to see how quickly this service has expanded. Renting a car offers a great budget-friendly alternative, especially as flight prices continue to rise. It also perfectly aligns with the trend toward more adventurous, flexible travel experiences. With a rental car, travel agents’ clients can explore several cities at once and combine various landscapes, reaching more remote sights that are difficult to access by public transport. Through our suppliers, we partner with over 400 car rental companies in more than 160 countries to help travel agents offer their customers the most competitive rates and premium service”, shares Fredrik Bonnalt.
