IR expands Asia product

IR expands Asia product
By admin


International Rail has increased its presence in Asia by offering rail services in China, Vietnam, Thailand and Korea with plans to further expand into India.
Improved rail networks and demand from Australian travellers encouraged International Rail to expand their Asian offering. International Rail has been selling train travel in Japan for seven years and Managing Director Jonathan Hume told Travel Today that sales are showing improvement since last year’s tsunami.
In China high speed trains comparable with Japan's rail network offer a route between Beijing and Shanghai that takes less than five hours.

“China has improved their infrastructure significantly and in the other countries it is about travelling in other ways to air travel,” Hume said.
 The company is conscious that there is low awareness about rail travel in Asia among travellers and plans to combat this by marketing to travel agents.
“The message is that it is able to be booked locally in Australia and it is quite straightforward,” Hume said.
Hume believes that independent travellers will contribute to the initial market share. “It will appeal to people who want to do it on their own such as backpackers, but I think it will extend to more mature travellers over time,” Hume said.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]