P&O Ferries sees higher demand for ferries to France

P&O Ferries has reported a 35 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings for ferries to France over the Easter period.

The company is set to carry some 132,000 passengers on its ferries from Dover to Calais between Good Friday and Easter Monday inclusive.

This figure represents an increase from the 98,000 customers who used P&O Ferries' cross channel ferry services in 2008.

Simon Johnson, the operator's sales and marketing director, said: "All-inclusive ferry fares that cover a car and passengers are tempting families away from flying as they try to make their money go further.

"At a time when many travel pundits say the bottom has fallen out of the overseas Easter tourist market, we're bucking the trend."

Dover ferry port revealed recently that this year's Easter period is expected to bring a "burst" of short-stay holidaymakers, with passenger numbers set to increase by around 30 per cent to 300,000.

Written by Andrew Smith