From 2015 all sold cars in Europe will have the e-call.

The new regulation of the EU establishes that from the year 2015 all cars that are sold in Europe will have tp have incorporated the e-call system. The objective mainly is to increase traffic safty and reduce the time it takes for the emergency services in come to rescue where there has been an accident.


But, what is e-call?
The e-call system is a system that works through a telephone card which will be incorporated in our vehicle. In case of accident, when the vehicles airbags go off, automatically there will be send a signal to the emergency services. This will in connection with the police, fire brigade and ambulance.

What advatages does it has?

These calls will function through GPS system, which in case it activates, the receptor centre will know at all times our position. We will not have to make any call and have to try to explain to the operator where exacly we are.

Let us imagine that we are a tourist who has contract a service of car hire in Murcia and has an accident. Due that we are not in are own country we do not know how to contact with the emergency services neither know how to explain where exacly we are. The e-call system will do it all for you.

One of it main advantages that it has is that in the event of a serious accident, where the occupants can not call or move, the system would do it for us.

When will cars have this installed?
There are currently several manufactures that already have them installed in some of its car models. Given that from the year 2015 it will be mandatory for all sold cars in Europe, we will see more oftenly cars having this installed before 2015. Many manufactures will use it to make sure it works properly or as a business strategy.

And you? Are you agree with the implantation of this sytem in your vehicle?



VictoriaCars
Car hire Alicante Airport
http://www.victoriacars.com/

How to enjoy Easter in the Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia.

Easter is aproaching and the spanish beaches will become fill of tourists again, as well as the streets fill of visitors who will assist to the famous processions.

In a few days we will be celebrating Easter. As it´s known, here in Spain its celebrations is very spectacular during these days. Due to the multitude of processions held in the Peninsula there are a multitude of toursts visiting our country.


Which is the preferred destination to spend the holidays?
Due that the major type of religion in all Western European countries is cristian-catholic, there are several national holidays at the same time. Both companies and schools are closed.

Due to its favoured climate and its warm temperatures compared with the rest of the countries, Spain is one of the top destination for tourists during these days. As every year, there will be a great flood of people coming from all over Europe and from midland towards the different coastal areas.

A high number of visitors will choose to come to the Comunidad Valenciana and Murcia, so it is to be expected a large number of visitors who will be looking for a car hire Valencia and Murcia airport, or for an apartment to rent in Alicante. The forecasts ary very positive, that´s why we all recommend to book in advance for these days because we all expect to be 100% booked out.

Why do tourists prefer coastal areas?
Given that these are the first days of the year were we have a nice sunshine and pleasant temperatures, many tourists prefer to come to spend a few days on the beach, making profit of the warm sun rays, getting brown and among the brave ones even dare to take a swim in the sea.

But of course it is not all about sun and beaches. At the same time Spain is known internationally for its processions.

What are the processions?
The processions are parades across the streets, where they walk about with religious images carried on the shoulders of the so-called "costaleros". Each one of them, group of image and "costalero", are known as "paso".

People devoted to this have been training for a long time because they have to carry on their shoulders among the streets the image of Jesus Christ or the Virgin, in a very well organized slow march, with counted steps and a well established itinary. For many it is a truly honor to be able to bear its weight.

I´m off to the Comunidad Valenciana, which are the best known processions?
If our destiny is Alicante, the best known one is the Santa Cruz procession, a brotherhood that already exists 67 years. The route is one of the hardest because they depart from the Santa Cruz Hermitage, located at the base of the Castle in the old town of the city and cover virtually all Alicante´s main avenues. It is celebrated on Holy Wednesday.

The brotherhood "Santísimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte and Nuestra Señora de las Angustias" are responsible for the Silence Procession, which is held on Holy Thursday. This processions is one the most impressive ones for the majority of visitors.

If we are thinking in visiting the province of Valencia, we can go to the Alzira´s procession, which is one of the most visited of the Comunidad Valenciana. Among the most important ones is the "Domingo de Ramos", the "Silencio" one and the "Procesion General del Santo Entierro".

The Comunidad of Murcia has always been very religious and the Holy Week has a very special meaning for them. A variety of processions are held among all the province.

Due that it is very good connected thanks to its airport and because of its wide range of tourist services such as car hire Murcia, and its hughes variety acommodation in hotels and in apartments makes Murcia being one the favourite places to visit during this time of the year.

The processions of Cartagena have been declared of National Tourist Interest and stand out for their spectacular "pasos", the many flowers they are wearing... They are organized by the four main brotherhoods of the city (Marraja, del Cristo del Socorro, Californina and the Resucitado).

The processions of Jumilla date back to the 15th century and its "pasos" images have been made by very well-known sculptors. The most impressive one, without any doubt, is the Holy Wednesday one at the Plaza de Arriba, represented by the townpeople and declared of National Tourist Interest.

At the same time we can see processions in other cities in the area, though they are not as well known, they do attract each year more visitors. Towns as Callosa del Segura, Crevillente, Elche, Gandia, Lorca, Murcia, Orihuela, offers its visitors a wide range of choice throughout the community.

And you? Do you know any procession that we haven´t mentioned?

A shortage of rental cars in Easter Week is expected

A shortage of rental cars for the Easter holidays is expected again as a consequence of important companies's closedown of the sector because of the crisis.

Days pass fast, and by leaps and bounds approach one more year the first holidays of this year 2012, the Easter Halidays Week, beginning this year on Thursday the 5th of April. Because this is a very short vacation, a lot of visitors, most of them foreign people, prefer to come by plane or train and once arrived in destination, would like to rent a car.


Up to date we could see really low prices for car hire. As a tradition, many of the foreign customers have reserved their cars with a few months in advance, in order to be sure that will have a confirmed reservation and at the same time to get the best prices available. For example until only 2 weeks ago we could book a car hire at Alicante airport for less than 100 euros per week.

However, as dates are closer to the Easter Week prices begin to increase. For example now we can hire a car in Murcia from 130 euros and everything points that prices will increase as Easter holidays aproches.
But why do the prices increase?
As we already know the big majority of car hire companies renew the cars of the fleet constantly and as soon as the low season arrives they sell most of the vehicles, keeping the right number of cars for the winter season.
This year the economic situation is very dificult and finding finansation it is now a real challange for most of the companies. Beeing in this situation the companies can not renovate their fleet of vehicles. This way the big majority of car hire companies will have to resign with buying a lot less vehicles that the normally acquire buy this time.

As well is very important to point that important companies of the sector have suspended its activity as a consequence of the financial crisis in which Spain is immersed.

Conclusively, there are less car hire companies and the ones that support the pressure will a minor availability of cars for hire. This situation involves a shortage of fleet in curcial seasons like Easter Week and summer, besides a predictable rise of prices by this time.

How does this affects the travelers?
When the number of vehicles is very low, the companies have no other choice but to increase prices and many times the ones that makes last minute reservations will have to pay very high prices. This is all the way round than in a normal situation, when the last minute bookings haves special discounts.

The ones that have decided to rent their car until today, can say that they have paid a really low price for the Easter holidays. The ones that want to rent a car, it will be advisable to make theis booking now, and so will be sure they will pay a moderate price and at the same time being sure that they will have a car hire for those dates.

What about you? Are you going to risk and not hire a car until the last moment?

Hiriko, Spanish electric car which will conquer Europe.

Hiriko, the Spanish 100% electric car, has great potential for conquering Europe.

The past 24th of January 2011 was the official presenting day of Hirico. José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, has given the approval to this Spanish project.

But, what is Hiriko?

The project was born beginning 2010 together with the MIT collaboration (Massachussets Institute of Technology), but is completely developed in Spain, Vitoria city, that in addition has been elected as the Green capital.

It´s about a car that is 100% electric and electronic.
Features:

• It is a very small citycar 
• It will be catalogued as a Cyclops, so it will not be necessary to have a driver´s license, except a valid autocycle license according to each country.
• It will reach a maximum speed of 80km/hour on main roads and 50km/hour in the city.
• A car that once it is parked it will reduce almost in half its size.
• The car will cost 12.500 Euros.

What benefits will this vehicle have?

Primary it is an electric vehicle, which means that it does not emit any CO2. As we know, many big cities are prohibiting the entry to its centre to vehicles that emit CO2, problem that Hirico won´t have.

   

Given that the vehicle will know at all times exacly where it is, it will apply the limiting road speed according the road where is driving on. It will reach 50km/hour in just 3 seconds and it has a range of 120 km with only a 30 minutes charge.

Where and when will we see it?

It´s planned that Hiriko will come on the market by 2013, main customers will be the public administrations. Due that it won´t have limited access to certain areas and neither pay toll to enter certain areas, like London for example, it will wake up a great interest in companies who are operating in these cities. This will improve employees mobility in case they need it.

It is likely that soon car rental companies will also take advantage of this technology. VictoriaCars is considiring the possibility to add some of these models in their car fleet for car hire Alicante and this way study the viability of this technology in the car rental sector. We will notice it by it car fleet and probably it will be advertised as rental per hour, like the company Autolib does in Paris.

VictoriaCars

Car hire Murcia

http://www.victoriacars.com/

www.facebook.com/victoriarentacar

New parking facilities fort long and short stayment periods at the airport of Murcia.

Victoria Parking will open soon its parking at Murcia airport San Javier.

The San Javier airport of Murcia is each time attracting more air traffic from different parts of Europe. Currently it has become one of the preffered low-cost airports by many airline companies.
Many of its regularly visitors are people that live in Northern European countries and that come constantly around. Tourists are atracted by its long sandy beaches, la Manga del Mar Menor and its many golf courses that have kept on being built on the course of the years.

Part of the visitors have decided to purchase for a second residence in the area to spend their holidays or longer season periods for those who have more free time.

Some of them have even bought a vehicle in Spain to make their travel around the area easier and more practical. On their return to their countries of origin, or either when the inhabitants of the area decide to go on holidays, they have to park their car at the airport of Murcia.

Victoria Parking has decided to anticipate this increasing demand and open a new parking in 
Murcia, San Javier airport."Just like at our other parking facilities that we have in different Spanish airports we will offer a wide range of services to our customers. We will have a big area with many car parking places, monitored 24 hours a day" declares Teresa Martinez, VictoriaCars´s Communication Manager.

"The service will be very simple. The customer will arrive with ist car to the parking facilities and we will take the customer to the airport with one of the companies courtesy vehicles. By giving us the return flight number, we will be waiting for the customer at the exit terminal and bing him back to collect his car. We will also offer a special car cleaning service and covers to protect the car in case the customers requests for it"

"Our goal is to offer the customer a perfect service and for a much more affordable price than parking at the airport" -she says.

Victoria Parking belongs to the company group VictoriaCars. It has a wide experience in the privat car parking sector at the major airports. It has its facilities at the airports of Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante, and also in Calpe where its main offices are.

Car Hire Murcia - shortage on rental cars continues.

Now it has became common knowledge. The car rental companies in Spain run out of cars due to the high demand in the current peak season.

After having experienced a similar situation during last Easter, VictoriaCars already foresaw the difficulties for the summer rentals. Given the situation, VictoriaCars - Car hire Murcia informed its customers of the possible shortage during the summer peak season and encouraged to make reservations in advance.

However, many customers have been waited until the last minute and finally could not get a car. Because inevitably, VictoriaCars had been run out of available vehicles, like many other Spanish car rental companies, too.

The question now is, are we dealing here with one particular case or should European holidaymakers be prepared for further shortages during peak periods.

According to some forecasts, the current scarcity will last until into the fall. Not only that, it is anticipated that this situation will extend to all existing holiday periods during the year (Christmas, Easter, bridging days, long weekends and so on) and even to the summer 2010 campaign.

Moreover, the scarcity is not the only problem: the current situation has caused a substantial increase of car rental prices by the companies in this sector. A car hire Murcia presently can cost up to 30% more than for the same period last year. It is a question of the "law of supply and demand."

Obviously, the cause of this situation can be seen in the economic recession Spain is experiencing. On the one hand, companies in general are suffering from the lack of financing, that also prevents that companies within the car rental sector in particular can expand their fleets. Moreover, even when financing is provided, the difficult times companies in the automotive sector are going through make them highly unlikely to sale their new cars to car rental companies. The common custom that a car hire enterprises could acquire a vehicle for a agreed period of time, and after wards could be sure that the rental car would be repurchased by the dealer is almost abolished. The car dealers are not willing to collaborate to these conditions as these repurchases saturate the second-hand car market and make it more difficult to sale new cars.

To put it in a nutshell, VictoriaCars - Car Hire Murcia, points the difficulty of its branch out to its customers and expects them to take measures and precautions, so they can enjoy the next Spain holidays with a car hire Murcia Airport , Alicante or Madrid.

The new blog of Victoria Rent a Car...Congratulations!

Car hire company, VictoriaCars, from Spain is offering this blog to everyone who is interested in our car hire service at Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Murcia and Valencia airport as well as at further locations at Costa Blanca.

You are welcome to post everything what is worth knowing about your Spain holidays here. On the other side, we will try to update it constantly and to let you know about our current car hire offers in Spain.
For more information and our current car rental rates, please visit www.victoriacars.com.