Eurostar Targets U.S. Travelers with New Promotion for Popular London-to-Paris Route

NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Eurostar, the high-speed passenger rail service between the UK and mainland Europe, today launched a new promotion to highlight the company's popular London to Paris route and bring the brand to life for travelers in the U.S. market as a "must do" experience to include in any trip to Europe. U.S. travel bookings on Eurostar.com have increased by 25% in the past year, with London to Paris being the most popular route selected for one-way bookings.

The Eurostar 2 Cities, 1 Day promotion brings the fun of experiencing London and Paris to life through a traveling consumer engagement event in New York and Los Angeles. At a colorful photo booth featuring back drops from both cities, brand ambassadors will invite people to pose with themed props to capture a photo representing the London to Paris route. With the high-speed route taking just over two hours, Eurostar makes day trips between London and Paris a reality for travelers seeking rich experiences in both cities in a limited time frame.

Digital photos will be provided onsite, and event attendees can also retrieve their photos from the promotion website (www.eurostar2cities1day.com), where they can enter the Eurostar 2 Cities, 1 Day sweepstakes and share on social media to win a grand prize of a trip to both cities. 

The prize includes a trip for two to London and Paris, including round trip, coach-class air transportation for two, Eurostar Business Premier (equivalent to First Class) travel for two from London to Paris (or vice versa) and three nights luxury hotel accommodations in each city. 

U.S. travelers outside of New York and Los Angeles can gain entry to the contest by visiting the sweepstakes website and uploading a photo in the themed frame and sharing on social media channels using the hashtag #LondontoParis.

The Eurostar 2 Cities, 1 Day experience will visit both New York and Los Angeles and will be open from 11am – 6 pm local time at the following locations:

• Sept. 18: South Street Seaport, 199 Water Street, New York
• Sept. 19: Flatiron Plaza, 23rd St. & 5th Ave., New York
• Sept. 20: Columbus Circle, 7849 Broadway, New York
• Oct. 10: Century City Mall, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles
• Oct. 11: Santa Monica Place, 395 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica
• Oct. 12: The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr., Los Angeles

Lionel Benbassat, Director of Marketing and Brand at Eurostar, said: "Over the last few years we have seen a huge increase in the number of Americans choosing to experience Eurostar while vacationing in Europe. With our first standalone promotional activity in the U.S. kicking off this week, we look forward to showcasing what Eurostar has to offer and welcoming even more U.S. travelers on board in the near future."

Eurostar celebrates the company's 20^th Anniversary this year. Since established in 1994, more than eight million Americans have booked travel on Eurostar. As the company anticipates double-digit revenue growth from U.S. travelers in 2015, the 2 Cities, 1 Day promotion marks its first standalone activation in the U.S. to date.

For international travelers planning future vacations, Eurostar will launch a new year-round route to Marseille, via Lyon and Avignon. In 2016, the company will launch a new route direct to Amsterdam.

Notes to Editors
*Terms & conditions:
- Sweepstakes begins on September 18, 2014 at 9:00 am Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on October 15, 2014 at 3:00 pm ET
-Entry to the contest can be completed through two methods:

- Visit the Eurostar event booth during the promotion period, and have your picture taken by sponsor representative/photographer who will then hand you a photo retrieval card. Pick up your photo via the sweepstakes website and complete the entry form with all required information (including your name and email address)..
 - If you are unable to or cannot attend a Eurostar event (e.g., you do not live in or near Los Angeles or New York City), go to the sweepstakes website, choose one of the photo frames and upload a picture of yourself. Complete the on-line entry form with all required information (including your name and email address).

About Eurostar
Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.

Press Contacts
Catherine Bayles
Head of Media, Eurostar
[email protected]

Kimberley Broadbent
[email protected]
212-601-8416

SOURCE Eurostar