Strong growth in the leisure travel market and overseas travellers has helped Eurostar towards a 4% increase in operating profit for 2013.
The rail operator saw an operating profit of US$90million (GBP54m) for 2013, carrying 10 million passengers in a single year for the first time.
Sales revenue was up 7% year-on-year to US$1.4bn (GBP857m), with the leisure sector up 7.5% thanks to new routes and destinations.
Its summer route from London to Lyon and Provence was so popular it will now run all year round from 2015.
Business sales were also up 6.2% as the sector and economy recovers, more so in the UK than France.
The number of holidaymakers visiting from overseas saw the biggest jump in traffic with sales revenue up 18%. Many opt to fly into France before heading to the UK later in their trip.
“2013 has proved to be a record breaking year for Eurostar and we are pleased with the sustainable growth in both traveller numbers and sales revenues reported today. After a period of economic uncertainty we are now starting to see more confidence in the business market,” said Eurostar’s chief executive Nicolas Petrovic. “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.”
This year the company will be celebrating its 20th anniversary and will also develop its new route from London to Amsterdam with Dutch rail companies.
“2014 will be a transformational year for Eurostar as our on-going programme of service initiatives and enhancements unlocks further potential in the business both at home here in Europe and further afield in our international markets. Eurostar is coming of age and we have a wide ranging programme of activity scheduled throughout the year to celebrate our twentieth birthday in November,” said Petrovic.
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