This in from Red Funnel, in their own words. Ed
Red Funnel Ferries, the original Isle of Wight ferry operator and Island specialist, has reported a strong start to 2015 on the back of a record 2014.
The ferry operator has witnessed growth of 7.1% in cars, 38.3% in coaches and 5.4% in passengers in the first three months of the year, compared to 2014.
Red Funnel has also outperformed the total cross-Solent market in Q1, which has seen an increase in cars and passengers of 6.3% and 4.5% respectively vs. Q1 last year.
Significant investment
The past 12 months have marked a significant year for Red Funnel, with the company investing over £4.4 million in the refurbishment of the passenger accommodation onboard its ro-pax ferries Red Falcon and Red Osprey.
Kevin George, CEO of Red Funnel, said:
“We continue to be encouraged by the growth in visitors to the Isle of Wight and we are confident that this trend is set to continue.
“The £2.2m refurbishment of Red Osprey, which mirrors sister ship Red Falcon, has been extremely well received by the market and our ‘customer first’ strategy is really paying off, as more visitors choose to travel via Southampton with Red Funnel.”
‘Customer first’
Red Funnel has invested heavily in expanding its ‘customer first’ strategy, ensuring that the excitement of a day trip or a short-break starts with an unrivalled travel experience across the Solent.
Jonathan Green, marketing and communications director for Red Funnel, said:
“2015 has got off to a great start, which demonstrates the appeal of the Isle of Wight as a year round destination for both day trip and staying visitors.
“Attractive pricing and a wide range of activities and events such as the Acoustic Isle music festival and the Electric Woods ‘Spirit of the Orient’ have given people new reasons to visit and stay for a short-break during the winter and shoulder periods.”
