Eurostar Reports Continued Strong Growth In H1 2011 Sales Revenue And Passenger Numbers
Released on: July 21, 2011, 3:49 am
Author:
Eurostar
Industry: Travel
Eurostar, the high speed passenger rail service between the UK
and mainland Europe, has reported continued strong growth in the first
half of 2011. Overall sales revenues increased by 4% from £404 million
to £421 million and passenger numbers went up by 3% from 4.6 million to
4.7 million.
This year-on-year growth is particularly strong given that in the first half of 2010
Eurostar benefited from increased sales revenues resulting from the ash cloud
disruption, during which it ran 70 extra trains and carried 100,000 extra
passengers. Excluding the positive impact of the ash cloud disruption on the 2010
figures, underlying H1 2011 sales revenues in fact grew by 12% in comparison with
the same period last year.
Eurostar is reporting over the first half of the year, leisure sales revenues grew
by 8% and leisure passenger volumes were up 4%.
Demand for bookings over the summer period is high and over 950,000 passengers
travelled on Eurostar in July alone making this a bumper summer for high speed rail
travel. As a result, over 20 extra services have been scheduled to run over the
summer.*
Whilst Eurostar has reported a rise in the overall number of passengers over the
last six months, there has been a particular spike in the volume of international
travellers.
Over the first half of the year the number of international passengers rose by 21%
to over half a million travellers. This was driven in part by a strong increase in
passengers originating from the US who increasingly see a trip on Eurostar as an
integral part of a European tour.
Nicolas Petrovic, CEO of Eurostar, commented: "The growth in the number of
travellers heading for London earlier in the year has gathered momentum and in the
first half international bookings have gone up by over 20 per cent. With 'Royal
Wedding fever', London 2012 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on the horizon, London
is highly attractive and remains a 'hot' destination for international visitors."
In the first quarter of 2011 Eurostar saw a 9% rise in Business Premier sales
revenues and this strong performance continued through the first six months of the
year.
This uplift is a reflection of the high levels of transactions and activity among
businesses operating between the UK and the continent, particularly the financial
services sector.
Nicolas Petrovic continued: "Over the last six months we have introduced a range of
upgrades to our business premier service including guaranteed boarding, new Alain
Roux menus and on board taxi booking to ensure that passengers' time on board is as
enjoyable and productive as possible." **
Notes to Editors:
* Eurostar is running 16 extra services on its London to Paris route from the 8 - 31
July on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Seven extra services will run on the London
to Disneyland Paris route between 19 July and 27 August and two extra services will
run on the London to Brussels route at the end of August.
** Eurostar recently announced a range of enhancements to its flagship 'Business
Premier' class to ensure it remains the benchmark for short haul business travel.
About Eurostar:
Eurostar is the high-speed rail service directly linking the UK to France and
Belgium via the Channel Tunnel. For travellers choosing Eurostar holidays to Paris,
the fastest London to Paris train journey
time is 2 hours 15 minutes, while travelling London-Brussels takes just 1 hour 51
minutes and London-Lille only 1 hour 20 minutes.
Eurostar deals are also
available offering a number of hotels which customers can save on when booked
together with travel, including trips to the South of France, holidays in Paris and trips
to Lille and Brussels. Cheap Eurostar tickets can also be found
online at Eurostar.com.
PR Contact:
Aude Criqui
Senior Press Officer
Eurostar Press Office
Times House
Regent Quarter
Bravingtons Walk
London
N1 9AW
0044 (0)20 7843 5405
www.eurostar.com
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