Travel agents make hay as cricket fans rush to SA

India's entry into the ICC World Cup 2003 semi-finals has resulted in cricket-crazy Indians heading for South Africa in droves.

While the number of queries for tickets has gone up by almost 50 per cent at agencies after the team's victory over Pakistan, travel agents have sold more packages over the last 10 days.

In fact, South African Airways has increased its seat capacity by 28 per cent for the semi-finals and plans to increase it further if India reaches the finals.

Travel agents have already launched a package for the second semi-final and the final since tickets for the first semi have already been sold out, Mukesh Dhand, managing director, Sachinam Travels, said.

The second six-night package is available at a slight mark-up price of Rs 99,000 compared with the earlier package of Rs 1,15,000 for 8 nights.

"We have sold 200 packages after the India-Pakistan match," Dhand added.

Rajesh Ahuja, chief development manager (tours and special events), of the Delhi-based Travel Services International, said the number of queries after the match has gone up by about 40 per cent.

Sanjay Arya of Keshav Travels' said: "The demand had fallen substantially after India lost to Australia but now we are seeing a surge especially after the win over Pakistan. After the Pakistan match, we have already booked 100 passengers."

Interestingly, while earlier it was corporates which were queuing up for the World Cup, this time its individuals who are buying the packages, Dhand said. About 70 per cent of the total bookings had earlier come from companies.

Another travel agent said they will request South Africa Airways to increase capacity in case India makes it to the finals.

Nalini Gupta, general manager, South African Airways, said the buoyancy has gone after the India-Pakistan match. The passenger load factor has shot up to 80 per cent compared with the average levels of 60 per cent, she added. The airlines is taking 5,000-6,000 passengers to South Africa for the World Cup.

Gupta said though the airlines flies four flights a week, it has increased its capacity by 28 per cent.

The airlines, which generally plies the 178-seat Boeing 767, is operating a 260-seat Boeing 747 SP planes for the World Cup.

"For the semis we will operate an extra flight which will be a Boeing 747-200 aircraft, which is a 291-seater," she said.

This time, more than 6,000 cricket Indians are headed to South Africa which is 40-50 per cent more than the number which travelled to the last world cup in England.

Of this, 2,000 went expressly to cheer the Indian team for the India-Pakistan face-off.

The travel agents in India are offering a branded package called the Cricket Safari 2003 for the entire event.

The agencies in the country, which have exclusive marketing rights from the South African Cricket Board to sell the event in the country, are Keshav Travels, Sachinam Travels, Trust Travels and Travel Services International.