India, Feb 25 : India’s cricket season is driving a measurable surge in domestic travel, with new Airbnb data showing significant year-on-year growth in searches and bookings across demand across match-hosting cities, particularly beyond metro hubs.

Demand shifts beyond metros

As marquee tournaments unfold between February and May, travel demand is dispersing into emerging cricket centres such as Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow, signaling how major sporting moments are reshaping India’s tourism map.

According to Airbnb internal data, searches by Indian guests for several match-hosting cities during the cricket season rose significantly compared to the same period last year, with some of the strongest growth recorded in emerging cricket centres beyond the metro circuit.

  • Ranchi saw nearly a 120% increase in searches year-on-year.
  • Thiruvananthapuram recorded over 110% growth in searches year-on-year.
  • Jaipur and Lucknow witnessed increases of over 70% and 60% in searches year-on-year respectively.

The data suggests that high-profile fixtures are accelerating travel into tier-2 locations, broadening the geographic distribution of visitor demand beyond India’s traditional gateway cities.

Key match-day spikes were even more pronounced

Searches for stays by Indians in the host city Colombo during the India vs Pakistan match weekend surged over 325%, 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 Ahmedabad recorded a nearly 170% increase in searches reinforcing its position as a marquee cricket destination during major tournament fixtures.

Match day = travel getaway

Behind this surge is a generational shift in how cricket is consumed. What was once largely a living-room experience has evolved into in-real-life travel, especially among younger Indians. From streaming watch sessions to travelling across states to support favourite teams, cricket is increasingly shaping how Gen Z plans trips and getaways.

Airbnb’s Experience-Led Travel Insights survey showed that nearly 60% of India’s Gen Z say they plan to travel to attend live cricket matches in 2026, and 70% 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%) extend trips beyond match days to explore local culture, cuisine and neighbourhoods. The median trip length for a cricket match stands at 3–4 days, mirroring a growing appetite for immersive, experience-led travel.

Search trends reflect this shift. Airbnb data of Indian travelers leading up to the cricket season suggests that cricket travel is increasingly becoming a group and family-friendly experience:-

  • In Ahmedabad, searches for entire homes were nearly double those for private rooms.
  • Additionally, searches for homes with two or more bedrooms grew in cities such as Ahmedabad Kangra (up nearly 90%), and Visakhapatnam (up over 75%).

Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Airbnb’s Country Head for India and Southeast Asia, 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. 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.”

As India’s tourism ecosystem evolves, cricket-led travel is increasingly extending beyond traditional gateway cities. As fans travel for marquee fixtures and build longer stays around match weekends, visitor activity is reaching a wider set of host cities supporting local hospitality ecosystems and contributing to more geographically distributed tourism demand.