A shortage of rental cars in Ireland - stemming from rental-fleet downsizing occasioned by COVID-19 and skyrocketing fuel prices - has in turn so greatly increased the cost of renting a car (by a factor of 3X or 4X, or more, by some accounts) that some Americans who had been planning to visit Ireland in summer 2022 are reconsidering or actually canceling their trips.
A new study by Failte Ireland has found that the cost of renting a car in Ireland is high compared to the European average - which places the country at a competitive disadvantage in the US and other long-haul markets.
Can this situation be improved soon enough to avoid wholesale cancellations prior to July? Stay tuned.