Eurostar sees travel boost from weak pound

Eurostar has reported a pick-up in passenger numbers from France, crediting the effects of the weak pound making the UK more attractive.

The cross-Channel high speed rail service said it was seeing "signs of recovery in the trading environment" over the past eight weeks though it carried only 2.6 million passengers in its third quarter - down 10% on the same period last year.

It said summer demand was dampened by the terrorist attack in Nice (Milan: NICE.MI - news) at the end of July but it was pressing ahead with its plans to start services to Amsterdam in a year's time despite uncertainty over the UK's future relationship with the EU.

Eurostar said it had been encouraged by an 18% uplift in passenger numbers travelling to London from France during the October half-term holidays.

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Chief (Taiwan OTC: 3345.TWO - news) executive Nicolas Petrovic said: "With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) the weakening of the pound, the UK is proving to be an attractive destination.

"The outlook to the end of the year is encouraging with many travellers taking day trips to London to do their Christmas shopping."

The fall of up to 15% in the pound's value against the euro since the UK's vote to leave the EU makes it cheaper for euro-users to buy goods priced in pounds.

Recent tourism figures have suggested a surge in spending in the UK by US and Chinese visitors, with the country recently being declared the cheapest for luxury goods in the world.