This article shows information about cricket’s impact on tourism in India
India’s tourism is being affected day by day, not just because of its culture, tradition and historical monuments, but also because of the sports events (like cricket, football, etc.) that are happening in India. In this article, we specifically will be explaining the cricket impact in tourism in India.
In India, cricket has an unmatched popularity and is considered as a religion and the cricketers are treated as gods. Due to Indian Premier League (IPL) and other cricketing events, travel to games is reported to have significantly increased in popularity.
With an estimated global viewership of over 600 million, the IPL is the most-watched professional T20 cricket league in the world. The IPL’s 2023 season is presently in progress and has already attracted a lot of travel interest. One of India’s largest travel firms, Thomas Cook India Ltd., has witnessed demand increase by over 60-70%. Another significant travel agency, SOTC Travel, has noticed a similar rise in demand.
Numerous other cricket-related events, in addition to the IPL, are boosting travel demand. The future Cricket World Cup, which will take place in India in October 2023, is one of them. The World Cup, the most famous cricket tournament in the world, is expected to attract a lot of travellers. It helps in developing the infrastructure of a country and provides a major economic boost to the country and helps to create new job opportunities in the tourism sector.
Other benefits that would come include greater opportunities to market the product and services produced or manufactured there and traded globally. Companies like Coca-Cola have a great opportunity to market their brand to people and gain popularity.
The growing interest in cricket tourism is encouraging for the travel sector. Even though costs are increasing, people still want to travel. Along with its rich history, culture, and some of the world’s most stunning cricket stadiums, cricket tourism is a fantastic opportunity to showcase India as a travel destination.
ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
India will host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023. As we all get closer to October 5th, the day of the inauguration, the nation’s cricket tourism seems to be reaching new heights of enthusiasm.
Additionally, cricket fans from around the world are undoubtedly visiting India and staying in places like Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. The six Indian cities hosting the major matches have already begun to see an increase in hotel reservations of about 15-25% over the same period in 2022, while flight prices have gone up by two to three folds.
Bharatt Malik, Senior VP of Flights and Hotel Business at Yatra Online told Business Line that while luxury hotel prices have increased dramatically by 10 to 15 times, airfares have increased by two to three times their usual rates. Even the more affordable choices have seen an increase in their hotel costs. The India-Pakistan match, which will be played on October 14 and will be held in Ahmedabad, is one of the main draws.
BCCI seeks an increase in the ICC strategic fund and receives a 72% rise in revenue.
The Indian Cricket Board has pushed for a significant contribution to the global organisation’s strategic fund from the ICC’s revenue for the development of the sport. After receiving approval for the majority of the estimated USD 230 million in annual revenue from 2024 to 2027, the BCCI recently argued for the need to boost the strategic fund, which will be used to protect Test cricket as well as to advance the development of the women’s game, at the ICC’s annual board meeting.
At the ICC Board in Durban, India’s revised income share received the expected approval, meaning they stand to take almost 72%. From 2024 through 2027, the BCCI will make around USD 230 million annually or 38.5 percent of the ICC’s estimated annual earnings of USD 600 million.
Also Read: Unveiling the Camera Setup: Types of Cameras Are Used in a Cricket Match?
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