“Watching the T20 in USA felt amazing. It was a historic match as the legendary rivalry between Pakistan and India is always guaranteed to be a thriller. And the entire stadium was almost blue, with a few specks of green as well,’’ recounts Sunila Patil, a leading travel professional and a self-professed cricket fan.

Sunila Patil

Patil, who is Founder and Director of Veena World, a leading travel agency, based in Mumbai and which has a large footprint in western India, had been invited to the United States to watch the historic match which India went on to win in yet another dramatic finish, which has been the norm between the two South Asian nations.

Patil was not the only one from India to have travelled over 13,000 km to watch the game. “I know about many people who had come to watch the game. Though I could not meet everyone, I did meet a few in the hospitality box where I was and everyone was very excited to be there,’’ Patil tells India Outbound.

Organise a good game of cricket and Indians will watch, pay to watch and even travel to watch. This has been a time tested mantra, not just for cricketing nations like England or Australia, but also for cities like Sharjah or Dubai in the United Arab Emirates that have organised matches that attracted hundreds, if not thousands of tourists from India.

When agreeing to be a joint host of T20 World Cup, the United States, too, was betting that distance and costs not withstanding, Indian fans would travel to the US to watch the games and it is safe to say that the bet seems to have paid off handsomely, going by what Patil has to recount and looking at the social media feeds from the World Cup.

Jackie Ennis, Vice President, Global Trade Development of Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation of the US, is enthused about the World Cup and the traction in India.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be host to the T20 in New York, Florida and Texas. We definitely are working on some special activities around the T20 because we want to highlight the destination obviously for the cricket events, but also to get the word out about what else you can do from those places,’’ Ennis tells India Outbound.

Germany banking on Euro2024

Though it is a huge magnet for Indian and other South Asian fans, T20 World Cup is not the only major sporting event this year. While Germany is hosting Euro2024 European Football Championship, France is the host nation of the 2024 Olympic Games that are coming back to Paris exactly 100 years after the last time.

With the two biggest events of the year taking place in Europe, the region is also actively seeking tourists, notably sports fans, from all around the world, including India.

As Euro2024 European Football Championship is rated as the most popular international football competition, behind only the Football World Cup, it attracts millions of tourists not just from Europe, but from all over the world, including India, where football is already a very popular sport and is gaining popularity with each passing year.

IndiGo has tied up with the Indian national football team as part of its promotional plans, clubbed under ‘IndiGoal’ programme.

Germany is counting on this rising popularity to attract Indian visitors to watch the high-octane matches between some of the best teams in the world, as besides Latin America, football world championship winners have hailed only from Europe.

Romit Theophilus

Certainly! Based on recent trends and changes, there is indeed growing interest among Indians to travel to Germany for Euro 2024. This surge is fuelled by more favourable Schengen visa rules adopted by the EU for Indian passport holders. As a result, interest in applying for Schengen visas and travelling to the Germany has significantly increased. India and Germany share a passion for football, with this the Indian fans are looking forward to exploring Germany’s cultural treasures and natural wonders during the Euro 2024 championships. With our Stay a Little Longer campaign, GNTO, India encourages travellers to explore beyond the football stadiums and experience the beauty of Germany,’’ Romit Theophilus, Director, GNTO India tells India Outbound.

With Euro2024 matches spread all over Germany, Theophilus says it offers an ideal opportunity for Indian visitors to explore different regions of Germany while moving around to watch the matches.

During Euro 2024, Germany will host matches in 10 cities, fans can explore world-class museums, historical landmarks, and scenic riversides, all within easy reach

The German National Tourist Office jointly with GNTB invites Indian football fans to discover Germany’s cultural treasures and natural wonders during the Euro 2024 championships. During Euro 2024, Germany will host matches in 10 cities, fans can explore world-class museums, historical landmarks, and scenic riversides, all within easy reach. Indian soccer fans around the world can look forward to a month-long celebration of the sport in Germany with countless public viewing parties. As Indian fans gather to support their favourite teams, the GNTO, India encourages them to extend their stays, immerse themselves in local cultures, and discover Germany’s cultural, natural treasures and discover 52 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, industrial heritage, cosy beer gardens and a vibrant nightlife during our summer of soccer. This initiative seeks to enrich the visitor experience by encouraging exploration beyond the usual tourist destinations, promoting a more meaningful engagement with all that Germany has to offer,’’ Theophilus adds.

IndiGo takes football fever to the skies

A major boost to the rising football fever has come from an entirely unexpected quarter as India’s largest airline, low-cost carrier IndiGo announced a major initiative to promote football as a sport across India and has tied up with the Indian national football team as part of its promotional plans, clubbed under ‘IndiGoal’ programme.

Neetan Chopra

“This partnership enables both brands to represent India with pride and excellence on the global stage, reinforcing the common bond they share with millions of fans. With IndiGoal, IndiGo aims to raise awareness about football and honour national football heroes, celebrating their achievements and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps,’’ Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer, tells India Outbound.

“With IndiGoal, our aim is to elevate the sport and touch the lives of fans across the nation by fostering a community where sports and travel enthusiasts can engage with inspiring and thrilling content, get the latest updates on Indian football, and celebrate national football heroes, all while tapping into the passion that India has for football. Additionally, IndiGoal seeks to promote football among India’s youth, elevating their experience as both fans and players. By uniting football enthusiasts and promoting the sport to the next generation, IndiGoal is committed to building a brighter future for Indian football,’’ Chopra adds.

Football & much more in Olympics

As the football fever reaches its crescendo in mid-July when the final of Euro2024 will take place in Berlin, across the border from Germany, France, too, is preparing for a sports extravaganza this year, that will come almost on the heels of Euro2024 with the 2024 Olympic Games.

Indeed, Olympics are the top-billed sporting event of the year in 2024 and not just the French tourism stakeholders, but even Indian travel trade professionals are enthusiastic about its prospects to generate sports tourism from India to France.

Based in Kolkata, Gainwell is one of the largest travel companies in Eastern India. It was also one of the earliest to spot a lucrative niche in promoting sports tourism and became a pioneer in this domain by launching a separate division, Gainwell Sports, which is now one of the largest sellers of travel packages built around sporting events.

Maanav Saraf

Maanav Saraf, Director of Gainwell, also sports the hat of Vice Captain of Gainwell Sports, the sporting division of the company. Saraf says his company has observed a rising interest amongst travellers from all over India in travelling for sports and says that the relative ease of getting group or MICE visas for destinations in Europe boosts the number of visitors significantly.

“Yes, although the T20 World Cup didn’t have as many MICE groups travelling as previous World Cups due to USA visa issues and the extremely high airfares, the NRI demand for USA T20 WC was very good. Both, the Olympics and Euro 2024 have had great demand, the Olympics has been beyond surprising with both luxury FITs and large corporate groups incorporating Olympics sessions on their travel plans. In general passenger numbers in India are normally much higher for cricket but for us the Olympics has probably been the event with maximum demand and as we get closer to the event, there are bookings still coming in,’’ Saraf tells India Outbound.

It is not just that people are travelling for specific sporting events, but even if they spot an opportunity to add a sporting fixture to their tourism plans, they are increasingly doing so. This is a trend that Saraf and other travel agents have witnessed.

According to the Indian travel trade professionals, destinations like the United States or Germany are not off the mark when they expect a greater flow of Indian sports fans coming in for key tournaments

“The idea of watching a match while on holiday isn’t an exception or a far-fetched thought for Indian tourists like it was pre-Covid. Now every sports fan who can afford it wants to experience the thrill of a live event while on their trip and companies like us thrive on the growing number of such tourists. The word of mouth referrals and repeat customers we get are increasing month on month and that’s proof of how fast this market is growing,’’ says Saraf.

Sheetal Munshaw

Sheetal Munshaw, Director of Atout France India, the French tourism promotion organisation, says she has also witnessed a greater interest amongst travellers from India to France to add a sporting experience to their trip or plan their trips around sporting fixtures.

“There has been an increase in the demand for travel around sporting or even global events. France too is witnessing this trend since a few years. Many visitors are prepared to plan their journeys around sporting events. For France, there is also a keen interest in the French Open/Rolland Garros and we do see visitors including a match while in France around this particular Grand Slam. In addition to sports, there is also a growing interest
for music concerts and there is an increasing amount of travellers planning their visit around a concert happening in France,’’ Munshaw tells India Outbound.

Down Under stays on top

Some travel professionals say that cricket remains the favourite and destinations that make it easier for groups to travel gain the most. Jude D’Souza is one such person. As FCM Meetings & Events Leader, India, D’Souza says that challenges of obtaining group visas rapidly can limit movements for sporting events.

Jude D’Souza

“There has been interest in the Olympics and Euro 2024, but the challenges associated with securing visa appointments have prevented these interests from translating into actual bookings or demand. Cricket, however, is a key sporting event that sees the highest demand,’’ D’Souza tells India Outbound.

In terms of cricket, besides England, Australia is another hot favourite for Indian cricket fans who religiously travel to the country whenever Indian team is on a tour down under. D’Souza says that Australia has been a popular destination for Indian cricket fans.

“Sports tourism from India to Australia holds considerable importance, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. There has been a noticeable uptick in arrivals from India’s MICE sector and business events scene. The growing interest from Indian corporate travellers in choosing Australia as a top destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) can be attributed to several factors,’’ says D’Souza, who should know as FCM is not only a specialist of corporate travel, including MICE, but the company is also headquartered in Australia.

“Enhanced direct and one-stop flight connectivity, streamlined and expedient procedures for obtaining business visas, and state-of-the-art conference venues play a key role. Moreover, the addition of over 20,000 new hotel accommodations and the opportunity to engage in exclusive experiences with iconic figures in Australian cricket amplify Australia’s appeal as a go-to MICE destination for Indian travellers,’’ he adds.

Not just FCM, but the destination itself is also gung-ho on the appeal that Australia has as a sports destination. Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager of Tourism Australia, the tourism promotion organisation of the country, says that not only does the organisation understand the importance of sports tourism from India, but also proactively promotes it in the country.

Nishant Kashikar

“Sports in Australia, especially cricket, notably the T20 World Cups and Test Series, tennis tournaments like Australian Open and Formula Open Grand Prix, have always attracted Indian visitors to the land down under. World-class events like these not only help us to drive visitation for the event, but also beyond the event. We usually leverage these events as a contextual media and PR opportunities to build aspiration and attractiveness for Australia,’’ Kashikar tells India Outbound.

He says that the second half of the year is likely to see a fair bit of travel from India due to the upcoming tour by the Indian cricket team to Australia.

“The schedule for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar cricket series has just been announced and Cricket Australia are in the process of appointing their Licensed Tour Operators (LTOs) for the series. We will be working closely with the LTOs and Key Distribution Partners to drive leisure & MICE visitation for the test series, as there is already a significant interest, pent up demand and excitement for the event. We have seen a significant surge in tourist arrivals every time Australia has hosted a world-class event of this nature,’’ says Kashikar.

Some travel professionals say that cricket remains the favourite and destinations that make it easier for groups to travel gain the most

According to Kashikar, shared passion in Australia and India for cricket is well known and a must-visit for Indian cricket enthusiasts includes the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where they can even opt for exclusive experiences of the iconic stadium via a Premium Access Tour with a Melbourne Cricket Club guide.

Beyond the MCG, the Adelaide Oval stands out as one of Australia’s most picturesque sports venues. Visitors can enjoy an incredible view during a Roof Climb Experience, walk across the roofline of the Oval and sit in the world’s first stadium rooftop seats. Alternatively, tourists can book an Adelaide Oval Legends Tour for exclusive access to sections of the Oval that are usually off-limits, he adds.

USA beyond cricket for sports fans

Back in the United States, Ennis of Brand USA and other officials of marketing organisations of various cities and states say they are looking at developing USA as a major destination for sports tourism, especially with an interesting line up of global tournaments that are headed to the US.

“Obviously, we have some big sporting events coming up in 2026 with FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games as well. And then there is also the NBA and we are very excited about the NBA and its relationship with the Indian sports community. So we are definitely looking forward to working with the NBA in its activities in India and also to work with our cities here to really reinforce that opportunity,’’ says Ennis.

Few cities have a more interesting line-up of events than Los Angeles, the host city of the 2028 Olympics.

Adam Burke

“We are absolutely mad about sports. When you look at Los Angeles, first of all we have 11 professional sports teams. That is the most in the United States. So no matter what time of year you come here, you can see incredible world class professional sports. And again, it is this mixture of these legendary venues like the LA Memorial Coliseum, Dodger Stadium and the Rose Bowl,’’ Adam Burke, President and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board tells India Outbound.

“So you have these incredible sports opportunities. But beyond that, we are really, really lucky because we are in the midst of this unprecedented decade of major sporting events. Just look at 2026 to 2028, and in 2026 will host the NBA All-Star Game for the second time in a decade. We are, along with a number of other host cities in North America, hosting the FIFA World Cup. We will have eight matches at Sofi Stadium, including the opening match of the US Men’s National Team, two in the round of 32 and one of the quarter finals. In 2027, we will be hosting the Super Bowl for American Football for the second time in five years,’’ Burke adds.

Few cities have a more interesting line-up of events than Los Angeles, the host city of the 2028 Olympics

“And then in 2028, when we host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, that will make LA the first city in US to host the Games Nishant Kashikar three times. The amazing thing is all those venues are already there. We are not building new venues. So for Indian travellers who are sports fanatics, they can come see those venues now,’’ says Burke.

Besides Los Angeles, there are other cities, such as Philadelphia, that are proactively pushing their major sporting events as a magnet to draw more visitors from India.

Svetlana Yazovskikh

“We have all the major professional sports teams and our sports complex is located just in the south area of Philadelphia, about 20 minutes subway ride from the downtown. So it is really easily accessible. And the Philadelphia sports base is very passionate and very enthusiastic. It is a special experience being inside those large stadiums around all of the Philadelphians, passionately cheering for their teams,’’ Svetlana Yazovskikh, Vice President of Global Tourism at Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, tells India Outbound.

Looking at the future, she highlights 2026 as being the year when no tourist should miss visiting Philadelphia, or Philly as the city is called in the US.

“The year 2026 is very important as it is America’s 250th birthday. And of course, Philadelphia is America’s birthplace. So, during the FIFA Football World Cup 2026, one of the six games that we are hosting will be played on July 4, which is Independence Day. So you can imagine that it will be a huge celebration. Of course, in addition to the FIFA World Cup games, the whole year of 2026, we will be celebrating America’s birthday in America’s birthplace,’’ Yazovskikh adds.

According to the Indian travel trade professionals, destinations like the United States or Germany are not off the mark when they expect a greater flow of Indian sports fans coming in for key tournaments.

“Interest in sports tourism is growing, more so for iconic matches like the India-Pakistan one. Unfortunately many a times guests do not plan early enough which makes it difficult and expensive and we urge everyone to book as early as possible. Yet, what I have noticed is along with the growing interest to watch a match, there is a growing interest in visiting sports event centres like the football clubs and Wimbledon tours,’’ says Patil of Veena World.

Destinations get into the play

The tour operators say that several destinations are now involved in promoting sporting tournaments as part of their overall marketing communication in India.

Sunila Patil, who is Founder and Director of Veena World, had been invited to the United States to watch the historic match which India went on to win in yet another dramatic finish (Photo: Sunila Patil)

“There are several special events being organised in India and Brand USA has always been a good example and they are trying to bring NFL and basketball events in India. Australia has always promoted cricket and tourism together with some of the famous Aussie cricketers gracing many Indian events,’’ says Patil.

“Many tourism boards have approached us specifically to promote their destinations around sports travel. Singapore has long been wanting to maximise the Formula 1 demand from India and Tourism Australia is very upbeat about the Border-Gavaskar trophy later this year wanting to ride on the momentum of massive tourist numbers that they got for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. There are other destinations trying to promote more niche sports such as marathons and cycling. These themes can be top tourism drivers in the future, we only need to see what the Taylor Swift concerts did to Singapore’s economy if there’s any doubt about the potential that niche tourism like this can have,’’ says Saraf of Gainwell Sports.

Youth & MICE drive Indian sports tourism

The demand for sports tourism is centred on two key, but very distinct segments, say the trade professionals. One is of course youth, from really well-to-do families who can convince their parents to let them travel to distant lands for a match or two. At the other end of the spectrum are leading corporates, who use all-paid trips to marquée sporting events as major incentives for their best performing salespersons or dealers as well as the board members.

Brand USA says that it is looking at developing USA as a major destination for sports tourism, especially with an interesting line up of global tournaments that are headed to the USA

“Indian sports traveller is passionate about sports and wants a quick trip. Often it is young ones who are in school or college who have taken up a sport like cricket, football or tennis who encourage their parents to travel with them. Then there is also a group of friends who want to catch a game together and corporates who wish to please their dealers or distributors,’’ says Patil.

“The Olympics has had demand from both FITs and MICE. It is very surprising and encouraging to see large MICE groups and renowned corporates spending big bucks on VIP hospitality packages for the Olympics with sessions like the Closing Ceremony, tennis and Athletics being in top demand fuelled by the involvement of athletes like Neeraj Chopra,’’ says Saraf.

“Indian sports travellers usually are young, adventurous, high net worth individuals looking to maximise the experiential component of their trip. This, for many tourism boards and destinations, is a very valuable traveller profile and thus there is every reason for sports travel from India to continue booming,’’ he adds.

D’Souza of FCM agrees. “An Indian sports traveller typically seeks a luxurious and exclusive experience when attending sports-related events. They prioritise VIP treatment that includes amenities like private corporate boxes, fast-track entry to venues, and the chance for personal interactions with famous sports personalities,’’ he says.

“The demand is from across India as most companies have headquarters in Mumbai or Delhi, however, their colleagues are based across India including Tier II and Tier III cities, which have turned into business hubs with more than 40 pc of popular startups based there, and now have connectivity to international destinations. These cities are undergoing rapid development, with improved infrastructure and road networks, appealing to both, the airlines and the travellers,’’ D’Souza adds.

With travellers and travel professionals seeking increasingly unique and unprecedented experiences, it should not come as a surprise if Patil finds herself back again in New York on July 19, 2026. This time, in another VIP box in the New York New Jersey stadium, invited to watch the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Football Championship!