Travel Demand for IPL Venues: Analyzing the Excitement Surrounding IPL 2024 Matches

The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) has ignited fervent enthusiasm among cricket fans, both domestic and international, resulting in packed stadiums and a notable surge in travel to host cities. Aloke Bajpai, the Chairman, Managing Director, and Group CEO of ixigo, highlighted a substantial 20–25% increase in travel bookings, indicating a high demand for match destinations like Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Chennai. The majority of bookings occur 0–3 days before the cricket match, despite escalated airfares, signifying the spontaneity of fans.

Online Search Trends:
1. Online searches related to IPL travel soared by 25% compared to the previous year.
2. Last-minute flight bookings surged by up to 20% in the days leading to matches.
3. Hotel searches during the IPL season witnessed a robust increase of 15–20%.
4. Bus bookings also saw a notable uptick of 10% close to match days.
5. Thomas Cook India observed a significant 25% rise in online searches for IPL travel compared to the preceding year.

Hotspots for Travel:
- Mumbai emerged as the top destination, witnessing the highest number of flight and hotel searches in April 2024.
- Other cities experiencing substantial travel interest include Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
- Certain matches triggered heightened interest, such as Chennai’s match on March 22, witnessing a remarkable 33% increase in flight searches month-over-month.
- Lucknow and Ahmedabad also saw notable increases of 29% and 14%, respectively.

The amalgamation of cricket fervor, last-minute travel bookings, and the desire to explore host cities reflects the dynamic nature of IPL-related travel.