Faster Eurostar presents ‘enormous’ inbound tourism opportunity
Faster Eurostar journeys into London St Pancras will bring “huge benefit” from emerging markets of international visitors, according to VisitBritain.
Around a fifth of visitors from Poland and the Czech Republic use the Channel Tunnel as a preferred route to travel to the UK, the national tourism agency says.
VisitBritain research shows that one in ten inbound visitors travel via the Channel Tunnel to reach Britain. Eurostar will enable residents of cities such as Cologne and Amsterdam to reach London within four to five hours without flying.
The new high-speed Eurostar track means that London is less than two hours away from Brussels, and two hours 15 minutes from Paris. Those travelling from Lille will be able to be at St Pancras International in 80 minutes.
The new Eurostar station at Ebbsfleet will give improved access to travellers visiting North Kent, Essex and East Anglia.
In addition, St Pancras’ is within walking distance of Kings Cross and Euston stations, giving overseas visitors access to trains serving the UK regions.
The central location of St Pancras means that London will also benefit with six Underground lines serving the station.
VisitBritain chief executive Tom Wright said: “Forty per cent of all visitors using the Channel Tunnel are doing so for a holiday.
“The potential for tourism from Brussels and Paris represents an enormous opportunity for both London and regions across central, eastern and northern Britain to attract new visitors from France and Belgium who wish to travel by rail rather than by air or sea.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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