The cross-channel train operator Eurostar says it has carried more than 10 million passengers in 2013 for the first time since it began in 1994, as the economic recovery lifted demand for business travel.
Eurostar CEO Nicolas Petrovic said that after a period of economic uncertainty, they are now starting to see more confidence in the business market. “In comparison with this time last year, when the overriding sentiment was still very cautious, there are more encouraging trends, and in some sectors, there is clearly a greater appetite to invest and look for business.”
The revenue from ticket sales rose by 7 per cent to US$1.4 billion last year, whilst operating profit was up 4 per cent to $89.9 million. The proportion of this from business traffic was up by 6.2 per cent from the previous year.
Since 1994, the Eurostar has carried more than 140 million passengers. A Eurostar spokesperson said the increase in travellers pointed towards growing demand for services from commuters and business traffic, particularly for those based in the UK where the recover “has a stronger foothold”.
