Movie stars will need will be needing Limousine Service to transport them to the Oscars next year after a decision by cash-strapped General Motors to end its 19-year sponsorship of Hollywood's glitzy annual awards. America's largest car maker is slashing its promotional budget as it struggles to trim losses that topped $18 Billion in the first half of the year.

GM has traditionally been one of the biggest advertisers at the Academy Awards. It splashed out $13.5m on television commercials during this year's ceremony. The company persuaded stars to ditch their usual limousines in favour of travelling to the show in a fleet of 75 hybrid or fuel cell-powered cars. But faced with a cash squeeze, the company is withdrawing from the Oscars and the Emmy television awards. It recently asked advertising agencies to share in its suffering by reducing their fees for car campaigns.

"With the current business challenges and tightening budgets, we've decided to focus our advertising and promotional dollars on activities that reach customers in the most impactful ways," a GM spokeswoman said. "The Academy Awards was a very good platform in the past but is not part of our 2009 business plans."

The Limousine Industry is preparing for the Oscars this year and it is sure to be as fabulous as ever.

Nick Cordova had a very successful career in the restaurant businesss, but when he relocated to the Los Angeles Valley area, he took off in a different direction.

You can say he decided to stretch in a new direction.

His Valley-based limousine company, has grown in just four years

from no cars to a fleet of nearly two dozen and a growing roster of private and corporate clients, including a new contract with the LAUSD and USC athletics teams.
Besides offering everything from town cars to stretch Hummers to Charter Buses, Nick also provides private security services also.

"I began working in limousine services even before leaving the East Coast," said Cordova, who lives in Northridge. "So I knew what kinds of services I wanted to offer and what clientele I wanted to attract."

Naming the new business was a calculated strategy, Cordova said, intended to set the company apart with a bit of East Coast cachet and flair. The company was named Times Square Limousine to revive some east coast admiration.

"We had done plenty of research into the market. I wanted to determine what it would take to develop a top-notch, first-class livery service"

The recession affects U.S limousine companies as they are faced with many lay offs and cuts into the demand for the symbol of power as well as wealth.

It is unfortunate that succesful financial companies, which would usually use limos, are resorting to less ostantatious forms of transportation to save money and to avoid the appearance of careless spending in a time of severe and rigid economy.

Big national limousine companies have laid workers off and ways some companies are trying to save on commuting expenses are video conferences. Major companies have saved travel cost by deliberately increasing the amounts of video conferences and by limiting travel for the customers benefit. The amount of revenue in the Limousine industry fell from $4.76 billion in 2007 to $2.57 billion in 2008 and for most large limousine operators the poor amount also continued this year

Starting a limousine rental business these days is seen as a good investment choice. As the tourism and hospitality markets have been stable for decades, this investment venue is seen as a sector that will continue to experience steady revenue growth.

Although the competition is currently stiff, there always seems to be room for operators who are reliable and provide good-quality service that most customers look for. Limousines serve as an elegant and comfortable means of transport, and these are used for a wide array of events and occasions, such as corporate parties, proms, weddings, bachelor parties, city tours and out-of-town excursions.
The Limo Rental Industry Has A Lot Of Potential Clients

According to current data from Limousine and Chauffeur magazine, the breakdown of potential limo rental service customers are in the following areas: hotel and resort clients, night-on-the-town transportation, corporate shuttling, weddings, funeral transport, proms, and other occasions. The business is usually broken down into two major aspects: Corporate/professional clients and occasional customers, and most rental firms specialize in either one or both.

Limousines are considered to be the latest trend in luxury transportation. Many events require vehicles that speak of luxury, elegance and style. By having a limousine available any time can definitely raise your public appearance.

To provide the ongoing demand for such private luxury vehicles, limousine rental companies are starting to provide private transportation to customers in and around all major cities across the US. If you are planning to join the trend, then here are some tips to save you money as you get started on this expensive venture.If you want to earn the most profit possiable, then you need offer service in a major populated location that has a large demand for limousines. You will first want to target big cities where major events and airport transportation are usually in high demand. Next, you need to decide if you want to build a website and market your business, or implement a private transportation business to start.

Limousine Advertising in necessary for a successful limousine company. In the long run, many limousine rental companies find it a VERY cost-effective venture to start a limo business website and provide service from the convenience of their homes -- avoiding rental costs for a place in the city or in purchasing a property for your very own.

Starting a home-based limousine rental company requires a phone line to receive calls from potential clients and customers about inquiries or to make bookings. Just a phone is not enough for a successful limo business. You will also need fax lines, mobile phones, and an answering machine.

You should put up a computer with an Internet connection if you plan to advertise with a limo website, as well as communicate with your customers through email or chat. You can also use your computer to keep booking records and appointments to keep you up to date.

Purchasing Limousines

Selecting fleet vehicles can be a difficult task. How to determine the limousine models you will be purchasing for your business is important. Limousines can be very expensive, and you must do a little research to avoid any regrets later on. Where to find limos for sale? Many places are available localy to find limousines, You can also use Ebay and www.LimoRecycler.com to search for new and used limousines for sale.

To begin, select a limo that fits many events that your client might require its use. White limousines are great for weddings, proms, anniversaries and birthdays to mention a few. However, Black limousines are very popular for most night time occasions, sporting events and funerals. You might also want to consider models that can accommodate larger groups, instead of focusing more on limo models that can only seat up to 8 people at a time but this depends on the target customer you are looking for in your service area. You might also include models that are well-suited for Bachelor Parties, Birthdays, Proms and other events like SUVs and Hummers.

Advertising Your Limousine Business

Your limo business website would not generate any traffic if potential clients and customer do not know about its existence. Advertise your limousine business by putting up listings in limousine directories such as: www.limodeals.com , www.limousinesites.com , www.limoyellow.com , www.limoraces.com and also use local advertising if you can afford it such as: local newspapers and travel magazines. If you are a novice with the Internet, then you might want to visit www.FreeLimoWebsites.com and have them create a Web site for your limo company, and provide you with the tools to have a great limousine website.