“Anyone can rent their car”: Share economy helps tourism sector

As the busy Easter tourist season nears, a lucrative side hustle and a hire car shortage have combined in a savvy solution. Find out how you can cash in your vehicle for big bucks in just a few days>>>

As the busy Easter tourist season nears, a lucrative side hustle and a hire car shortage have combined in a savvy solution.

Hobart’s Steve Ktori is one of many Tasmanians that have turned their second car into a money earner through the share economy platform Car Next Door, earning him between $15,000-$20,000 in the past 15 months alone.

Mr Ktori said it was not a bad option for the occasionally used VW Golf which he had previously considered selling.

“I was one of the first cars on the platform and its been such a positive experience, I have had some great borrowers and it’s been handy to have some extra cash coming in,” he said.

Easter tourist boom helped by car share economy

“I still use the car a bit personally too, I just block it out for a few weeks as needed.

“If I go interstate now I use Car Next Door too, so I have also been on the other end.”

Car Next Door CEO and founder Will Davies said that open borders and cheap air flights had led to a 179 per cent increase in car share bookings.

There has also been a 33 per cent increase in cars listed on the platform between March 2021 and March 2022.

He said traditional car rental options in Hobart over Easter had vehicles available starting at $492 a day – if you can secure one.

“Easter is our busiest time of the year, second only to Christmas,” he said.

Easter tourist boom helped by car share economy

“Aussies use the long weekend as a time to visit family and friends as well as go and take a break.

“Traditional car sharing hasn’t been able to get off the ground outside of urban centres because of the significant overheads involved with buying and maintaining a fleet of cars,” he said.

“With a peer to peer model such as Car Next Door, we are just activating cars that are already in these suburbs, cars that are sitting unused for 96 per cent of the time.

“Anyone can rent their car out or borrow a car.”