LATEST figures have suggested years of decline in the ferry industry could be over after 24 million ferry journeys were taken from UK ports to the continent, Ireland and other British islands this year. That figure for the period up to the end of August is the same as 2005 and halts several years of decline that have been blamed on stiff competition from low-cost airline and the Channel Tunnel and the ending of duty free. The traditionally popular short-sea crossings out of Dover have done particularly well this year, according to IRN Ferrystat, with journeys up 6% to the end of August and 3% up in August alone. Car bookings to Ireland were up 2.6% in August compared to the same month last year. Director of the Passenger Shipping Association Bill Gibbons said he expects, in terms of passenger numbers, 2006 will see the 35 million mark passed. “The growth of no-frills airlines has meant fewer people travelling by sea in the past five years,” he said. But the industry has responded to this by investing heavily. “In the past five years companies have spent more than a thousands million pounds building new cruise-style ships and we do believe we are now firmly set for a revival in ferry travel as people look to the sea as a refreshing alternative to flying.” The Passenger Shipping Association’s website lists all the ferry routes and companies available from the UK to the continent, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Scottish Isles and Ireland.
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