Eurostar has reported a 6 per cent growth in business travel bookings for the first half of 2014.
Compared to the same period last year the cross-channel operator posted “strong levels” of business travel passengers.
Eurostar said the increase coincides with the strengthening of the economy in the UK and “encouraging signs” of growth in business travel on both sides of the Channel.
Overall Eurostar said passenger numbers rose by 2 per cent in the first half of 2014 to 5 million from 4.9 million in the same period a year earlier.
Sales revenues rose by 0.5 per cent to £456 million from £453 million.
The company said leisure travel demand had been hit by a “convergence” of the Easter and May holidays in the UK, which saw passengers travelling only once when normally would have booked two, and people staying at home to watch the World Cup.
"Whilst a number of factors in the second quarter of the year lead to a dampening in demand, we are now beginning to see a more benign trading environment with encouraging signs of economic stability in France as well as the UK," said chief executive Nicolas Petrovic.
"These more favourable conditions have helped deliver strong growth in business travel across our markets."
This week (July 16) Eurostar unveiled plans for the refurbishment of its business lounge in Brussels-Midi, as part of a programme of station improvements.
The refurbishment is part of a series of improvements across Eurostar terminals – A new ticket office at London St. Pancras was completed this month, and work has started at Lille Europe station.
Eurostar.com