IR expands Asia product
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.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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