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Ferry travel shows resilience in challenging times
Saturday, 07 Dec, 2009
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TravelMole Guest Opinion by Lars Olsson – Passenger Shipping Association chairman and Stena Line commercial manager travel
With more than 40 million annual passenger journeys, the UK ferry industry is still very much a formidable force in the travel sector.
Despite the tough economic climate, figures for the first 10 months of the year show the number of passengers travelling to Western Europe* by ferry decreased by just 3.7% compared to the same period last year, whereas the number of people choosing to fly to the same countries dropped by an estimated 9.8%.
The number of passengers carried to the Continent up until the end of October was 20.6 million with the number of cars carried changing very little over the same period to 4.8 million.
A number of factors have contributed to ferry travel holding its own.
The recent increase in Air Passenger Duty along with endless charges for check-in and baggage, reduced services and cuts in flights and destinations, means that ‘budget’ airlines don’t look so low cost anymore and this is leading to a renewed interest in both domestic and Continental ferry travel.
We have seen a generation brought up on cheap air travel who have almost ‘by passed’ the ferry, but the industry’s strengths and unique selling points are now coming back to the fore and playing an ever important role in the decision making process.
Ferry travel offers a cost effective and hassle-free alternative to flying. It provides transparent and fair pricing, there are no limits on baggage other than what you can fit into your car, and it offers better value and convenience.
The Passenger Shipping Association has 15 ferry members who between them offer more than 70 destinations which can be reached by ferry departing from a UK port. There’s been an enormous commitment by ferry companies and ports who have plans to invest more than a billion pounds over the coming years.
The PSA has recently re-launched its website www.sailanddrive.com dedicated to ferry travel. The site is a one-stop-shop for all the information needed to plan a getaway by sea – routes, destinations, inspirational ideas and itineraries, and the very latest offers to destinations as diverse as the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands, to Scandinavia and The Netherlands.
With predictions that more people will be holidaying closer to home in 2010, now is the time for both travel agents and tour operators to revisit ferry travel and take advantage of renewed interest in a form of transport that offers everything from luxury cabins and celebrity restaurants, to fast crossings and leisurely mini-cruises, all at prices that offer exceptional value provided in a hassle-free environment.
*UK – France, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Spain (air travel excludes Canary Islands)
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