41-42 INDUSTRY rail v2 2/12/08 19:09 Page 41
industry report – rail 41
Full steam ahead as rail’s
market share increases
The “working time” concept, the success of Eurostar’s High speed 1 service and
record oil prices have all been instrumental in engineering a renewed espousal of
the train for business travellers
he volume of rail tickets booked through the
T
BUSINESS
trade continued to rise this year. Almost 60% Rail bookings
of survey respondents said they had seen an
TRAVELLERS
increase (6:1). The statistic has slowed WERE ONCE 6:1. Has your number of rail bookings in the past 12 months
slightly on last year’s when 66% of
ADMIRED
increased or decreased?
respondents noticed volumes grow. But this year rail increased 2007: 66% 2008: 59%
is arguably the strongest growth sector in travel.
FOR FLYING
decreased 2007: 6% 2008: 7%
Members of the Guild of Travel Management
SHORT-HAUL
stayed the same 2007: 16% 2008: 34%
Companies recently reported their bookings are at
BUT NOW
record levels year-on-year, with a 16% rise to 921,305 6:2. What percentage does rail comprise of your overall
transactions to the end of September.
THEY ARE
business travel bookings?
There are a number of reasons for this, including
INCREASINGLY
Less than 10% 44%
Eurostar’s high-profile move to St Pancras and the 11-25% 35%
introduction of shorter journey times to Paris. The move
PITIED
26-50% 16%
led to both BMI and Air France pulling services between 51%+ 5%
the French capital and London.
A fire in the Channel Tunnel in September causing 6:3. In the last 12 months, has that percentage increased
services to be disrupted for several weeks was the only or decreased?
blip in a good year for Eurostar: its traveller numbers increased 53%
are up 13.9% and ticket sales grew 17% year-on-year to decreased 7%
September. stayed the same 40%
Eurostar’s director of communications Simon
Montague said: “Business travellers were once L50480 6:4. If you answered ‘increased’, what is the main reason
for this?
6.1
improved service 2007: 15% 2008: 10%
improved frequencies 2007: 7% 2008: 9%
2007 2008 faster journey times 2007: 16% 2008: 20%
better booking facilities 2007: 19% 2008: 33%
more clients choosing
'greener' option 2007: 43% 2008: 28%
16%
34%
6:5. Do you find it easy to book rail?
6% yes 86%
no 14%
59%
66%
6:6. How do you book rail?
7%
GDS 11%
train operator’s website 8%
Evolvi 65%
thetrainline.com 10%
■ Increased ■ Decreased ■ Stayed the same other 6%
ttgbusiness.com ❖ industry report 2008
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