Skyscanner said overall search volumes to Indian host cities began rising from November and peaked in January. During the week of January 19, search volume was 63% higher than the previous week, while in the most recent week of January 26, searches were 35% higher than the week before, marking the highest level recorded for the tournament period.
Search interest for international host cities such as Colombo and Pallekele in Sri Lanka also increased, with demand building from November and peaking through December and January. Skyscanner noted that cross-border travel appears to be planned earlier than domestic trips, likely due to visa requirements, flight availability and longer travel lead times.
The data also showed a rise in searches around the high-profile India versus Pakistan match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Searches for outbound travel to Colombo during that period grew by 9% in the week of December 8 compared with the previous week.
Neel Ghose, Destination and Travel Trends Expert at Skyscanner India, said the platform is seeing sporting events increasingly influence travel behaviour. “We’re seeing cricket play a growing role in travel planning. Fans are aligning trips with key fixtures, from domestic flights between Indian cities to cross-border travel for major matches,” he said. Skyscanner said search demand is expected to remain strong throughout the tournament, particularly around knockout matches and key India fixtures.
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