Surge in travel demand as fans flock to Dubai for Indo-Pak Champions Trophy clash
Times of India | 14 February 2025
1234 Kolkata: With India and Pakistan set to clash at the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Feb 23, demand for flight and match tickets has soared. Many from Kolkata are planning to fly to the Gulf city next weekend to watch the arch-rivals cross swords, probably their only match this year, with some shopping thrown in. With India refusing to play in Pakistan, Dubai will now host all India matches, including those against Bangladesh on Feb 20 and New Zealand on March 2.
Travel agents in Kolkata say they have been flooded with calls for flight tickets. The price of a ticket for the India-Pakistan match has skyrocketed to Rs 1.5 lakh on a website. "If India makes it to the knockout stage, there would be two more matches. So, the trip can be planned over the next three weekends till the final on March 9. Several of my clients have already planned a trip and many more will follow since India are playing well and an Indo-Pak match is always a marquee one. While Emirates flights to Dubai now cost Rs 35,000-38,000 for a round-trip, it has already shot up to Rs 55,000 for Feb 19 and 20, when many would be flying there. This could rise further as the rush peaks," said Anil Punjabi, committee member of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI).
On the website Viagogo, the price of a ticket for the India-Pakistan match ranges from Rs 48,369 to a whopping Rs 1,59,105. A ticket for the India-Bangladesh match on Feb 20, however, is significantly lower and ranges between Rs 3,241-Rs 20,819.
Kolkata entrepreneur Mahesh Punjabi will be flying to Dubai with eight friends on Feb 22. "Three of us will fly from Kolkata and the rest from Mumbai. We will wear special India jerseys and have match tickets. The match will be followed by sight-seeing before we fly back on the 25th," said Punjabi, who watched India beat Pakistan in the T-20 World Cup in the USA last June.
Anil Punjabi said he will soon get in touch with the official agency for match tickets if they are available at reasonable prices. "Enquiries have started pouring in with requests for India match tickets. But they are already priced very high," said Punjabi.
This is the ideal season for a Dubai trip and has turned out to be a double whammy for cricket fans since the Dubai Shopping Festival is on, too, according to Joydeep Mukherjee of Meghdutam Travels. "The weather is perfect and there could possibly be no bigger attraction than an India-Pakistan match. It will be preceded by a match against Bangladesh on Feb 20 that could be exciting as well. With the shopping festival extended this year, those looking to spice up their travel will have a gala time. The only dampener is the fact that the board exams are getting underway this week. Without them, the rush would have been bigger," said Mukherjee.
He added that a three-night stay in Dubai could cost around Rs 60,000 inclusive of flight tickets and stay. "Domestic airlines are still offering a round-trip for Rs 26,000 while decent hotels are available for Rs 8,000 a night there. Flight ticket prices, however, may rise sharply over the next week. A Dubai visa can be secured in three-four days while those with a US visa can get a visa on arrival. With shopping and sightseeing thrown in, this is an ideal vacation," added Mukherjee.
Tourist flow from Kolkata to the Gulf is around 60,000 per year. Dubai gets the major share of visitors — around 45,000-50,000. "Dubai is the only Asian destination that attracted tourists even during the latter half of the pandemic. Now, with a high-voltage match thrown in, travellers couldn't have asked for more," said Punjabi.