Ahmedabad: With India set to clash with New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, Ahmedabad is witnessing a sharp surge in demand for hotels, flights, and trains, pushing tariffs up by 200 to 400 percent. Thousands of cricket fans from across India and overseas are travelling to the city to watch the high-voltage final, resulting in near-full occupancy in hotels and steep hikes in airfares and travel costs.

Industry estimates suggest that nearly 30,000 to 40,000 spectators from outside Ahmedabad are expected to arrive for the final, bringing huge business for the city’s accommodation and transport sectors. The Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket venue with a seating capacity of over 1.2 lakh, is expected to be packed for the title clash.

Hotel tariffs shoot up as rooms go houseful

Hotel rates across Ahmedabad have increased three to four times within hours of India confirming its place in the final. Rooms that normally cost ₹5,000–₹6,000 per night are now being sold for ₹15,000 to ₹80,000, while luxury properties are quoting over ₹1 lakh for a single night. Hospitality industry officials said nearly 80% of hotel inventory in the city has already been booked.

At around 4 pm today, travel booking platform Skyscanner, which shows starting hotel prices, indicated that for check-in on March 8 and check-out on March 9, rooms at Fortune Landmark Ahmedabad were priced at about ₹22,275 per night, Hyatt Ahmedabad around ₹17,500, Welcomhotel by ITC Ashram Road nearly ₹19,950, and Radisson Blu Ahmedabad over ₹20,000 for the same night.

Other upscale properties including Novotel Ahmedabad, Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre, DoubleTree by Hilton Ahmedabad, and Vivanta Ahmedabad SG Highway are showing rates between ₹20,500 and ₹36,500 per night, which is several times higher than their usual prices.

ITC Narmada, which is also hosting VVIP guests and the cricket teams, is showing very limited room availability, with the few remaining options priced as high as ₹80,000 per night, indicating near-full occupancy.

Travel platforms noted that such a spike is uncommon for March and reflects an extraordinary rush of visitors, with limited room availability pushing tariffs far above the normal seasonal average.

Area / Hotel location	Normal tariff (₹)	Current tariff (₹)	Increase
Motera (near stadium)	6,000 – 8,000	80,000 – 1.16 lakh	4–5 times
Sindhu Bhavan Road	7,000 – 10,000	56,000 – 76,000	4–6 times
Judges Bungalow area	~6,000	~20,000	3 times
Satellite (budget hotels)	2,500 – 4,000	~15,000	4 times
City average range	5,000 – 6,000	15,000 – 80,000+	3–4 times

Narendra Somani, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association (Gujarat), said March is usually a slow month for the hotel industry, but the World Cup final has led to a sudden surge in bookings.

He said most hotels are already heavily booked and rates may rise further as more fans secure match tickets. Several hotels are also demanding advance payment and have introduced stricter cancellation policies due to the rush.

Airfares surge as fans rush to Ahmedabad

Flight tickets to Ahmedabad from major metros have also become expensive, with fares rising two to four times compared to normal days. Passengers searching for last-minute tickets are seeing peak pricing across booking platforms.

Route	Normal fare (₹)	Current fare (₹)	Increase
Mumbai – Ahmedabad	4,500 – 6,000	16,000 – 33,000	3–5 times
Delhi – Ahmedabad	6,000 – 8,000	21,000 – 33,000	3–4 times
Chennai – Ahmedabad	~6,000	18,000 – 19,000	3 times
Bengaluru – Ahmedabad	6,000 – 7,000	20,000 – 30,000	3–4 times
London – Ahmedabad	~60,000	up to 1.2 lakh	2 times

Travel operators said fares may increase further as the match day approaches.

Big boost for local economy

Business groups say the World Cup final is turning into a major economic opportunity for Ahmedabad, benefiting hotels, restaurants, transport services, tourism operators, and local handicraft sellers.

Sanjeev Chhajer of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry said visitors are arriving from across India and overseas, leading to a surge in business activity across sectors.

Hospitality representatives said the final has helped hotels achieve strong occupancy within a short period, with the industry expecting 50–60% growth during the match weekend alone.

With Ahmedabad increasingly hosting large international events, industry experts believe the successful organisation of the World Cup final will further strengthen the city’s position as a major sporting and event destination. DeshGujarat