A majority of Indians have said they will increase their travel budgets to watch the upcoming Cricket World Cup. According to a new report put out by Skyscanner Limited, titled ‘Travel in Focus 2023’ which monitors flight information and travel data, for the upcoming 2023 Cricket World Cup in October, there is already a 46% spike in searches from within to travel during the time period when the matches are held.

For travellers interested in catching the most anticipated match of the season between India and Pakistan in Ahmedabad, prices on the company’s platform suggested that flights to Ahmedabad from Mumbai are 36% lower for June this year, compared to June in 2022.

Outside of cricket, it said nearly 47% are willing to change their itineraries if presented with better travel deals. Some Indians prefer international destinations that are less expensive to visit (35%), and some opt for non-peak travel periods (33%).

It added that over half of Indians (55%) embark on purpose-related travels within India for activities such as scuba diving, jewellery shopping, yoga, and wellness retreats. About 38% of them are likely to spend more on travel to catch live cricket matches, and 1 in 2 Indians (57%) actively plan to visit holy sites in the next 6 months.

In the global context, in 2023, nearly half of Indians (46%) are looking at slow travel, and most South Koreans (49%) are on the hunt for cheaper flight periods to cut down their travel costs. With Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the rise, 31% of Singaporeans are cutting down all their spending, but the overwhelming majority (99%) still plan to head abroad this year.

Updated: 11 Jul 2023, 04:48 PM IST