Cricket season drives domestic travel beyond metros in India: Airbnb

New Delhi (PTI): India's cricket season is playing a part in fuelling domestic travel with demand across match-hosting cities, particularly beyond metros growing significantly year-on-year, according to online accommodation hosting platform Airbnb.

Searches by Indian guests for several match-hosting cities like Ahmedabad, and beyond – such as Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram – during the cricket season rose significantly compared to the same period last year, Airbnb said in a statement.

Some of the strongest growth recorded in emerging cricket centres were beyond the metro circuit, it said.

Ranchi saw nearly a 120 per cent increase in searches year-on-year, while Thiruvananthapuram recorded over 110 per cent growth in searches year-on-year, it added.

Jaipur and Lucknow witnessed increases of over 70 per cent and 60 per cent in searches year-on-year respectively.

Currently, India is co-hosting the ICC men's T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka with the final slated to be played on March 8. This will be followed by India's domestic league IPL, the full schedule for which is yet to be announced.

Airbnb said as per its data, high-profile fixtures are accelerating travel into tier-2 locations, broadening the geographic distribution of visitor demand beyond India's traditional gateway cities.

Commenting on the findings, Airbnb's Country Head for India and Southeast Asia, Amanpreet Singh Bajaj said, "Cricket has long united the country in spirit. What we're seeing now is that same energy translating into travel, with fans building meaningful trips around the game."

Increasingly, these moments go beyond the stadium, people are extending their stays, travelling with friends and family, and exploring destinations more deeply, he added.

"On Airbnb, we're seeing this shift firsthand, as travellers choose homes that allow them to stay together, experience neighbourhoods more authentically, and turn match days into fuller, more memorable getaways.

It's a powerful example of how culture shapes travel and creates meaningful impact for local communities," Bajaj noted.

Airbnb said key match-day spikes were even more pronounced citing the example of searches for stays by Indians in the host city Colombo during the India vs Pakistan match weekend (February 14-17, 2026) surged over 325 per cent, while nights booked recorded a notable increase year-on-year, underscoring cricket's power to drive cross-border travel during marquee encounters.

Similarly, ahead of the cricket world cup final window (March 7-10, 2026), Ahmedabad recorded a nearly 170 per cent increase in searches, reinforcing its position as a marquee cricket destination during major tournament fixtures, the company said, Airbnb further said its 'experience-Led travel insights' survey showed that nearly 60 per cent of India's Gen Z said they planned to travel to attend live cricket matches in 2026, and 70 per cent prefer to attend with friends or family.

While cricket might be drawing India's Gen Z to a destination, their trips typically extend beyond the match day. Rather than short, single purpose visits, these trips are often built as longer stays as more than half (53 per cent) extend trips beyond match days to explore local culture, cuisine and neighbourhoods, it added.

The median trip length for a cricket match stands at 3-4 days, mirroring a growing appetite for immersive, experience-led travel, the company said.