NEW DELHI: A research study on cricket fans and travel attitudes around the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup conducted by Booking.com, a digital travel company has shown that 86% travellers find Indians the most passionate cricket fans in the world, 49% saying they would cancel pre-planned catch-up with friends to watch a key rival match and 52% Indian fans saying they would take unpaid leave or call in sick at work to watch their favourite teams play.
The research was commissioned by Booking.com in collaboration with YouGov and independently conducted among a sample of 1000 cricket fans and travellers from India. The findings of the research suggest that if Indians travel to the UAE to watch the World Cup live, 53% want to visit famous tourist spots, 48% wish to explore local cuisines, 45% want to visit shopping malls and explore nightlife and 44% want to visit nearby destinations.
“We know cricket is not just a sport in India, but an emotion that unites the country. It’s heartening to see our love for cricket will see Indian fans travelling again and the passion Indians have for the sport. We are very excited to be the official Accommodation Booking Partner for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and through this partnership, we look forward to offering cricket fans the easiest booking experience for their perfect travel stays and creating an unforgettable experience,” said Ritu Mehrotra, regional manager, South Asia at Booking.com.
The report says Pakistan, Australia and England are the Top 3 countries Indian cricket fans want to see on the other side of the pitch if India makes it to the finals and 60% said they are likely to watch matches with someone supporting a rival team. Many also said they would love to see India and Pakistan compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Finals, followed by Australia and England.
Nearly half of the Indians who participated in the survey said they would travel to a destination for cricket even if it is not on their travel bucket list, while 45% said they would plan their honeymoon to a destination that is hosting a live cricket match.
Among cricket fans and travel enthusiasts, 39% said they would travel for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup only if they are fully vaccinated, while 45% said they want accommodations to make it mandatory for guests to be fully vaccinated.
The research also highlights attitudes towards cricket and travel preferences, as well as how rivalries play a part in our celebration of the sport. With the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 around the corner, 72% Indian cricket fans said they are excited about the upcoming tournament and 8 in 10 Indians said cricket not only unites, but also defines who we are as a nation.
