Mumbai: Digital travel platform, Agoda, has revealed a 1702 per cent surge in searches for stays in Ahmedabad in the wake of the much-anticipated Cricket World Cup 2023. This spike can be attributed to the eagerly awaited India vs. Pakistan match, as well as the final, both of which will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Since its announcement, the sporting spectacle has contributed to a 237% hike in overall searches for the host cities throughout India. 

While Ahmedabad emerged as the obvious fan favourite, the host cities of Dharamshala [347%], Lucknow [225%], Hyderabad [199%] and Pune [169%] have all witnessed search spikes around the match dates. Furthermore, cricket is not only the most popular sport in India but also holds an unquestionable draw for fans from all over the world. The 2023 edition, thus, has intercontinental fans gearing up to watch the exciting matches live - with the UK, USA, Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia leading the inbound search charts for the host cities around the match dates.

Commenting on this trend, Agoda country director (India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives) Krishna Rathi said, "We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm of cricket fans for the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2023. At Agoda, we have recently seen a spike in travel driven by live events and global sports tournaments and the World Cup is no exception. The event has always been one of the most sought-after in India, and it is great to see the interest from international travellers as well."

The Cricket World Cup is taking place between 5 October and 19 November 2023.