The September school holidays proved to be a bumper time for Queensland Rail Travel, with the organisation rewriting its own record book after it posted the two biggest revenue earning weeks in its long history.
Revenue for long-distance rail services hit an all-time high in the fortnight from September 16 to 30, with $1.25 million a week coming in from ticket sales.
The figures smashed the previous single-week record by about $150,000.
The $2.5 million total in travelled revenue over the holiday period is 16% up on the previous best figure for the same period.
Queensland Rail Travel General Manager, Max Kruse, said the surge in revenue showed rail travel is becoming increasingly popular with both tourists and Queenslanders travelling intrastate.
“I think one thing we’ve done more successfully is lifting our focus on what the customer wants,” Mr Kruse said.
“The business has been transporting people across Queensland for 146 years, but what I think we’re doing better than ever is giving them a journey and an experience they’ll never forget.
“In the past, our company was seen as merely providing a transport option, but now we see ourselves as providing entire holiday solutions.
“It’s not just about getting customers from point A to point B, but making sure they enjoy the journey, as well.”
The spike in revenue comes just a few months after the launch of Queensland Rail Travel’s biggest marketing campaign ever.
The cornerstone of the All the holiday you can take campaign is a commercial featuring a sushi train which carries Queensland Rail Travel’s five key holiday experiences.
“We planned an 18-month blitz promoting tourism in Queensland, and early indications are it is paying dividends,” Mr Kruse said.
“Packaging our five key holiday experiences – the Outback, reef, rainforest, beach and city – has proved to be a real winner with customers, who are looking for us to provide tailor-made holidays for them.”
