 |
| The value-add of putting your newlyweds in their dream car, if only for a few days, is priceless. |
Active honeymooners, especially those taking their post-nuptial getaway in North America or Europe, may want a rental car to get around in. Knowing that newlyweds tend to splurge more that other vacationers, suggest a set of luxury wheels that will add to the romance of a given destination and make them feel extra special.
While Sharon Campbell Little of Wedding and Honeymoon Travel Group in Murrieta, CA, says she doesn’t get many requests for exotic cars from her honeymooners, but she does recall at least one special occasion: “I had a new bride who wanted to rent a Ferrari for a few days for her new husband as a honeymoon gift because he had a passion for foreign fast cars,” she tells Travel Agent.
For agents who do get such requests, “I would always contact one of my preferred suppliers first of all with a brand reputation for service and quality cars such as Avis, Hertz and Enterprise,” Campbell says. “They are always reliable and if they do not have this type of car in stock in the exact location I’m looking for they do have access to a larger inventory [of] exotic cars.”
She cautions, “There are many small independent owners / operators of car rental companies who say they have these types of vehicles, but if they can’t deliver, it could crush the entire honeymoon of a couple who had pinned all their memories from having this car rental and this would then reflect badly on the travel professional who booked it.”
Dallas-based Frosch travel consultant Gina Griffin Polley, who says she has “handled requests for exotic cars for travelers in both Europe and the states,” concurs with Campbell, citing the importance of “being able to vet the company you are using for the rental to make certain they are reputable. I have used Auto Europe for some exotic rentals — a Lamborghini in Italy for instance. In the U.S., I have used Exotic Auto Rentals in California with good success,” Polley says.
“Usually the only destination that my clients rent cars in would be Hawaii, but just a convertible,” says Kim Goldstein of Journeys Inc. in Richmond, VA, adding that she “wouldn’t call that exotic.” Nonetheless, such luxe rides as Mercedes, Porsche and Cadillac ATS are indeed available in the islands, as are Ford Mustang Convertibles, which may be just exotic enough for fun-loving newlyweds.
April Schmitt, CEO of Divine Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, a member of Signature Travel Network, sings the praises of Exotic Rides in Cancun: “I have booked this company for individual day trips to the ruins.” And if a couple wants to take a test drive, Exotic Rides also offers “hot laps” on its professional race track where “Ferraris are the most popular car of choice,” Schmitt says.
Some outfits such as Beverly Hills Rent-A-Car and Europe-based AAA Luxury & Sport Car Rental specialize in exotic and luxury rentals, while major U.S. car rental firms — including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National, as well as Auto Europe, Europcar and Sixt — collectively offer a wide range of luxury, exotic and sports cars. Depending on the company, destination and availability, your honeymooners may find themselves tooling around in one of the above-mentioned automobiles or perhaps an Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Lincoln, Lotus, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce or the like.
Commissions may vary, but the value-add of putting your newlyweds in their dream car, if only for a few days, is priceless, and it could ensure that they’ll come back to you when it’s time to book their babymoon, family vacations and anniversary getaways.