With the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament underway, sports fans across the country are traveling to different parts of India to watch the live matches. 

“Being one of the most-awaited cricket tournaments in India, the Indian Premier League is a strong driver of travel and tourism in the country. Each season, we see a noticeable spike in flight and hotel bookings, especially around match days in host cities. The league’s multi-city format encourages fans to travel across states to support their teams,” online travel agency EaseMyTrip’s CEO Rikant Pittie told Skift. 

A report released by American Express on Tuesday noted that about one-third of the Indian travelers are willing to travel domestically or globally for a sporting event this year, especially cricket.

“The ongoing IPL is a potential reason behind this rise in youth tourism. Fans are turning match days into full trips, exploring local culture, food, and attractions. This trend is boosting domestic travel with an increase of 30-35% in bookings and drawing in international visitors, too. IPL is not just shaping how people travel, it’s also bringing real economic value to the cities that host the cricket matches,” Pittie added.

Demand Surges for Hotels and Trains: The tournament has also led to a surge in demand for hotels. Akshay Thusoo, senior vice president – commercials at Sarovar Hotels told Skift that the company has been witnessing the impact of IPL on its portfolio. “Cities like Bengaluru, Jaipur, Palampur, Mumbai, and Kolkata have witnessed a noticeable uptick in bookings since the match schedules were announced. For instance, our hotels close to stadiums, such as Shravanthi Sarovar Portico in Bangalore and Marine Plaza in Mumbai, have seen strong demand, often selling out around match days.”

On match days, Sarovar has observed an average 5% increase in occupancy rates and around 7% improvement in average daily rates compared to the preceding weeks. 

The cricket event has also led to a surge in demand for train bookings, according to Dinesh Kumar Kotha, CEO, Ixigo Trains and ConfirmTkt. “This IPL season has sparked a massive surge in travel, with train bookings to cities hosting the matches rising by 60–65% year-on-year. Fan-favorite destinations like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Lucknow, and Dharamsala are each witnessing over 50% growth in train bookings.”

Scams Hampering Travel: However, where there’s demand, scams are likely to follow. As Indians choose to travel more, they are also becoming more prone to scams. According to online protection company McAfee, over INR 40,000 ($468) was lost by nearly one in five Indians who fell for a travel scam while on holiday.

And the traveler weariness has expanded to IPL. “Amid IPL 2025, a surge in ticket bookings and holiday plans reflects the eagerness to experience live matches firsthand. However, 82% of people express concern about ticket scams and other online scams related to major sporting events, domestic and international. Of those, 60% of them plan to exercise extra caution when making online purchases, while 23% remain unsure about how to effectively avoid these scams,” the company noted.

China Taps India for Tourism Relief

In a span of three weeks, China issued more than 35,000 visas to Indian travelers, pushing the tally this year to exceed 85,000 as of April 9. Talks to resume direct flights between the two countries have also now definitively reached the discussion table.

After nearly five years of strained relations following the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash, India and China are cautiously but steadily reactivating their civil and economic connections, starting with travel and tourism.

This development is especially critical in light of the broader geopolitical recalibration in Asia following the recent announcement of U.S. tariffs. China is now racing to shore up influence across Asia decisively.

The recent spike in visa issuance, jumping from 50,000 as of March 17 to 85,000 on April 9 is part of China’s push to boost inbound travel from India.Indian travelers can visit China under visa options that include Tourist Visa, Student Visa, Business Visa, Work Visa and Family/Reunion Visas.

In recent months, China has introduced several relaxations in the visa process for Indian citizens. These include no mandatory online appointments, quicker processing and reduced visa fees. Also, Indian travelers visiting China for a short period are no longer required to submit their biometric data further reducing the visa processing time.

IHCL Hits 380 Hotels in Fiscal 2025

Taj-parent Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has increased its portfolio to 380 hotels through 100 new locations, including 74 signings and 26 openings. The company aims to grow its portfolio to 700 hotels by 2030 under its Accelerate 2030 roadmap. 

IHCL signed a record 74 hotels in the last fiscal year (2024-25) ending March 31. With this, it has a leading pipeline of 137 hotels, said Suma Venkatesh, executive vice president — real estate and development, IHCL.

“A significant share of the signings were in Gateway and Ginger brands, reflective of the fast growing upscale and midscale segments in India,” Venkatesh said. During the period, Ginger grew to a portfolio of over 100 hotels and Vivanta reached more than 50 hotels.

The company also expanded its international presence by adding over 800 keys in the Middle Eastern markets of Bahrain and the UAE city of Ras Al-Khaimah.

Air India Express Launches Operations From North Goa

Low-cost airline Air India Express has launched domestic operations from the Manohar International Airport in North Goa, complementing its services from the Goa International Airport. With this, the airline will operate a total of 115 weekly flights from both the airports in the coastal state. 

Starting Tuesday, the airline launched flights from North Goa to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Indore, with plans to start operations to Hyderabad early next month. In May, the airline will also launch direct flights to Kuwait and Abu Dhabi in a move to expand its international network. 

Speaking at the Skift Global Forum East last year, Air India Express managing director Aloke Singh said, “Air India Express operates from the smaller Tier-2, Tier-3 cities into points in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Smaller regions are markets that we understand well.”

Sarovar Hotels Launches Iris Sarovar Portico in Gurgaon

Indian hotel chain Sarovar Hotels has expanded its presence in Delhi-NCR with the opening of Iris Sarovar Portico, Gurgaon. With the addition of the 79-key hotel, Sarovar is now operating 11 properties in the national capital region. The hotel is aimed to cater to business and leisure travelers, even as it is located in a commercial, business, and retail zone. 

In December last year, Sarovar Hotels chairman Ajay Bakaya said that the company has a pipeline of 80 hotels over the next few years. It is focusing on highway hotels and resorts close to major cities – a new high-growth segment for hospitality, according to him.

Travel Plans This Summer

Indian travelers are driving a shift towards “purposeful travel” this year, according to online travel company Booking.com. It noted that Indian travelers are looking for cooler destinations in the hills or seasonal international hotspots. 

Domestically, destinations such as Ooty, Manali, Darjeeling, Rishikesh, Munnar, and Srinagar are among the top 10 most-searched destinations for the period between April 15 to June 30 this year. Apart from this, Madikeri, Gangtok, and Varkala are also witnessing a lot of traction, Booking.com noted. 

When it comes to international travel, well-known destinations like Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, and Bali continue to be popular. The company has also recorded a significant surge in interest for Tokyo and Abu Dhabi, with over 100% increase in searches year-on-year.