This Year's Cricket World Cup Marks An Increased Interest In Visiting India

Travel demand in India has increased significantly as the country prepares to host the Cricket World Cup.

Cricket has an enormous popularity in India and is the country's most watched sporting event. It's more than simply a sport; it's ingrained in the national psyche and fuels powerful feelings of pride and disappointment for fans of the various teams. Indians make up 90% of all cricket fans in the world, a statistic that undoubtedly attests to the sport's tremendous appeal in India.

After a 12-year hiatus, India will once again host the Men's Cricket World Cup, this time from October 5 through November 19, 2023.

There will be a total of 48 one-day matches featuring the most talented cricket players from the following countries: Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands.

The World Cup will be staged in a total of 10 different locations.

Starting off the festivities in the world's biggest cricket setting, the Narendra Modi venue, will be a rematch of the 2019 final between England and New Zealand. The stadium can hold up to 110,000 people and can be found in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat.

Cricket Fever Boosts Vacation Plans

Cricket mania has always been good for business for the tourism sector. Over the last year, there has been an average 237% increase in the number of hotel searches carried out in host cities on days of play.

Ahmedabad will host both the World Cup Finals and the much anticipated India vs. Pakistan match. Because of this, there has been a 1,702% increase in inquiries about staying in the city, making it the clear leader.

During this time period, the most incoming searches were from the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia.

Data from OTA Insight on incoming flight searches between October 2023 and November 2023 shows a sharp increase compared to the same time in 2022, as fans prepare for the World Cup. These numbers show that there will be a surge in international tourism as well as local tourism throughout the event.

At the same time, businesses want to profit on the current cricket craze by boosting prices and increasing supply.

Taking Advantage of the Recent Increase in Travel

Hotel prices in all of the host cities have skyrocketed as October 5th approaches. According to data compiled by RateGain, lodging costs are two to three times higher in October and November of this year compared to the corresponding months in 2022.

Over the last year, hotel rates have increased by more than 300% in Pune, Ahmedabad, and Dharamshala. Hotels in these locations are more expensive than in places like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru since there are less rooms available.

It is anticipated that many guests would want to remain in host cities for an extra day or two. Industry leaders like Oyo will respond to this demand by opening 500 more hotels before the event begins.

It's not only hotels that tourists are looking for nowadays. MakeMyTrip is increasing its number of available homestays to meet the rising demand.

There was a 40%-60% increase in airfare over the previous year for popular destinations including Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Flight costs are going up by 20% to 30% in other host cities as well. The dramatic increase in demand for vacations is reflected in the increased costs.

A Long-Term Influence?

Major international athletic and cultural events have a noticeable effect on travel demand. Thousands of people have been flocking to Istanbul recently for events like the Champions League Final. Room rates also tend to skyrocket when major music shows stop in a city.

Strategically taking advantage of the publicity that these events provide to host towns may have a significant impact on tourism. In addition to the main event, guests get the opportunity to see the city's other attractions during their free time.

An Important Sports-Travel Source Market

India's sports tourism industry is booming, and it's having a major effect on both local and foreign tourism.

According to a new poll by Skift Research, Indians would still travel to attend sporting events in person, despite the greater cost of travel on game days. They also rank high in the market for sporting event tickets. Sports fans in India are prepared to travel long distances, even internationally, to see their favourite teams play. India has the potential to become an even more important sports-travel source country.

Watching the best cricketing countries compete later this year at the Cricket World Cup is proving to be a strong incentive, leading to a surge in tourism in India. The country will have the occasion to demonstrate the world its hospitality, culture, and event-hosting prowess by successfully hosting the tournament.

With overseas travel becoming more accessible to the Indian populace, this competition might be a starting point for Indian tourists to visiting other athletic events abroad during the next years.

 

Source: skift.com