Having cut their teeth on the IPL in India, Indian leisure travellers are keen to discover other sports destinations, tour operators have said.
“Sports travel is distinctly on the rise in India,” said Kuoni India COO (outbound) Kashmira Commissariat.Â
“DLF IPL and ICC World Twenty20, England 2009 received an incredible response with sports enthusiasts opting for sports packages. With sports events like the ICC Champions Trophy and FIFA World Cup coming up, sport lovers are keen on attending these events leading to an increase in sports tourism.”
Some tour operators have said even honeymooners now look at sports and adventure as part of their tour packages, rather than only romance.
Indian travellers who opt to combine with vacations form a growing segment. “Not only Indians but Asians are very keen to do something while on holiday. They want their children to learn something new and they want to able to tell friends that they indulged in something like kayaking or archery,” said Mumtaz Moiz, GM, ClubMed India.
Many soccer fans are now looking to combine their summer holiday with the FIFA World Cup which is being held from June 11 to July 12 in South Africa.
Kuoni has partnered with FIFA’s official airline partner Emirates to offer travel packages. Corporates are taking advantage of the new trend by creating incentive tours.
Packages that combine a four-to-five day trip, with a one-match ticket, are premium and are available for INR2.66 – 2.88 lakhs per couple. Packages with a ticket to the finals cost more.
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