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.”

As well as Queensland Rail Travel’s five key holiday experiences, customers can also take advantage of a number of themed long-distance services running throughout the year.

These include: a Master Class journey with Sirromet Winery’s Executive Chef, Andrew Mirosch, and Chief Winemaker, Adam Chapman, aboard The Sunlander; golf and gardening adventures; and even Texas hold ‘em poker events, to name just a few.

City.Mobi

Also in Australia today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Perth.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Perth.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.