Avis is optimistic

Car rental group Avis Europe said it was beginning to see thefirst signs of recovery after demand slumped in the wake of September11.

Bracknell-based Avis said it was still cautious about theresumption of normal levels of corporate travel, and said bothoperating profits and margin had suffered following the attacks inthe US.

The news came as the company unveiled a fall in full year pre-taxprofits from GBP85 million to GBP84.6 million and a growth inturnover of four per cent to GBP782.5 million.

But chairman Alun Cathcart said the group expected growth levelsto return to normal in the second half of the year.