Hotel prices and airfares have significantly increased in anticipation of the much-awaited India-Pakistan World Cup match in mid-October. Flights to Ahmedabad on October 14 and 15 have surged by more than six times their usual rates, and hotels within the city are accepting advance bookings at exorbitant prices. The demand for accommodations and transportation has soared since the ICC Cricket World Cup schedule was revealed and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
As per the current listings on MakeMyTrip, the cost of a flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad on October 14 is approximately ₹13,000. However, if a traveler chooses to book a flight a day earlier (October 13) or on October 15, the price will be relatively lower at around ₹4133 (before conveyance fees).
It’s worth noting that site data reveals flight prices starting from ₹2019 in September, and these prices gradually increase as the festive season approaches and the World Cup series begins. The price variation seems to be consistent across different airlines, with fares ranging from ₹12,819 (Indigo) to ₹24,189 (Air India) for the one-hour-long flight on October 14.
Following the announcement of the World Cup schedule, hotel rates in Ahmedabad have surged in anticipation of the highly awaited matches between India and Pakistan. Online bookings have shown prices to be two times, ten times, or even twenty times higher than usual. Narendra Somani, the president of the Hotel Association in Gujarat, mentioned this development to ANI earlier this month, attributing the price increases to a significant demand-supply gap.
Due to the steep prices and limited availability in Ahmedabad, some people have opted to book hotels in neighboring cities within a 100 km radius, such as Nadiad and Baroda. This approach allows them to avoid the high costs while still being relatively close to the match venue. With many cricket enthusiasts expected to travel by road, there is also likely to be an increase in footfall at restaurants and eateries in Ahmedabad.
Somani highlighted that the India-Pakistan match, taking place in Ahmedabad with a stadium capacity of over one lakh, is drawing around 35,000 people from across the country and the world. The high demand for accommodations and limited supply have led to the significant price disparity in hotel rates.