India’s upcoming cricket season has triggered a sharp spike in domestic travel, with new data from Airbnb showing a 46% rise in searches across key match-hosting cities. The surge is being led by Gen Z travellers, nearly 60% of whom plan to travel to attend live cricket matches in 2026.
Searches between February 5 and June 2 recorded steep year-on-year growth in emerging cricket hubs. New Chandigarh topped the list with a 318% jump, followed by Raipur (232%), Ranchi (118%) and Thiruvananthapuram (114%). Jaipur and Lucknow also reported strong double-digit gains, signalling a shift beyond traditional metro centres. During the India–Pakistan weekend (February 14–17), Colombo searches surged over 325%, while Ahmedabad saw nearly 170% growth ahead of the T20 final window (March 7–10). Airbnb’s Experience-Led Travel Insights survey shows 53% of Gen Z extend trips beyond match days, with a median stay of 3–4 days. Entire home bookings rose sharply in Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Ranchi, reflecting a growing preference for group and family travel.
In Guwahati, the trend is significant as the city was part of the YouGov survey sample and continues to benefit from cricket-led travel in the Northeast corridor. Increased visitor movement during match windows is expected to support local hospitality businesses and short-term rental demand.