Average fares paid on international routes in the third quarter of 2005 were 10% higher compared to the same period in 2004.
International hotel rates also rose for that quarter compared to 2004 to $217 from $204, according to figures from the Business Travel Monitor released by American Express Business Travel.
For the international fares, 160 city pairs were checked. The average fare was $1,633. Business and first class fares for the third quarter of 2005 were on average $3,882 and $5,782, a rise of 5% compared with the same quarter in 2004.
GetThere launches continental rail booking
GetThere, one of Europe's leading online booking systems, has launched a continental rail booking facility through SNCF, the French rail operator.
The capability is available immediately in the UK, France and the Benelux countries.
GetThere, part of the Sabre group, already offers online rail bookings in the UK through thetrainline.com booking engine.
Under the new capability, travellers can book journeys on SNCF's European network which covers Eurostar, Thalys and Lyria networks as well the TGVs.
GetThere is also planning to introduce a "multi-modal" display of all airlines and rail services between set routes on the same screen by next year.
* The company said there was a 65% rise in rail booking by European customers in the last month of the third quarter of 2005 compared with the same period in 2004 with a total of nearly 60,000 reservations made.
Excellent month for French hotels – MKG
French hotels had an "excellent" month in November with no impact on the industry from the Paris riots.
MKG Consulting said four star hotels in Paris in particular enjoyed a "remarkable" month, boosted by a major international trade fair.
Countrywide and across all standards, the occupancy rate rose 2.% to 65.6%, average revenue per available room (revPAR) was up 10% to 48 and average daily rates were up 5.&5 to 3.2%.
But four star properties enjoyed an occupancy rate of 67.6%, a revPAR rise of 16.9% and a 6.3% rise in average daily rates.