Eurostar has been boosted by a rise in business travellers during the first half of 2013 as booking patterns returned to normal after the Olympics last year.
The train operator said that the number of corporate passengers rose by 3 per cent for the six months to the end of June, compared to the same period last year, thanks to higher numbers in the second quarter.
Eurostar chief executive Nicolas Petrovic said: “The overall outlook for the business market is more positive reflecting signs of greater economic stability, particularly in the UK.
“We have seen a return to more normal patterns of business travel which were impacted negatively in the first half of 2012 ahead of the opening of the London 2012 games.”
Overall Eurostar saw sales revenue rise by 7 per cent year-on-year to £453 million for the first half of 2013, as passenger numbers increased 2 per cent to 4.9 million.
“After a flat start to the year in which several extended periods of adverse weather impacted services, Eurostar has seen acceleration in the growth of traveller numbers in the second quarter with passenger traffic up 4 per cent year-on-year,” said the train operator.
Eurostar added that it had increased capacity for this summer by adding more than 200 services between London and Paris due to higher demand.
“Growth has been most marked within the UK and international (passengers originating outside the EU) markets, reflecting recent signs of an improvement in the economic environment in these areas,” it said.
eurostar.com