Online search for flight to Russia higher by 12%

Hyderabad: With every football match, the interest in the ongoing FIFA World Cup is growing. According to Aloke Bajpai, CEO & co-founder, Ixigo, a travel search platform, said, “With football fever at its peak, more and more Indians are planning to spend this summer in Russia, the FIFA World Cup 2018 host country. From Hyderabad in particular, we have seen flight searches to Russia spike by 12 per cent month on month.”

Travel agents in the city say that the enquiries are growing by the day and the conversion rate would peak in another day or two.  Apart from the football craze, this growth can be attributed to attractive discounts on flights and simplified visa arrangements between India and Russia.

The World Cup started on June 14 and will continue till July 15, 2018. It is estimated that nearly 18,000 fans from India will move to Russia for World Cup. Speaking to The Hans India, former Indian Footballer Victor Amalraj said that though there is a lot of craze for football in India and the recent response from Indian fans to the video by Sunil Chhetri’s emotional plea to support the team to come to the stadium is evident enough that there is a lot of support in India.

Laxman, a former footballer from Ammuguda in Secunderabad, says, “I am not going but three veterans from Bolarum, Alwal and Ammmuguda are leaving to Russia in the second week and would be watching the final.”

 Travel agents in the city say that the queries are more from Secunderabad and Jubilee Hills area. Secunderabad has been the bastion for football for decades and several players from the Cantonment went on to play for the country. Thangappan, a football coach says, “In spite of cricket becoming popular, there are several clubs in this part of the city and one can see children playing football in Triumulgheery, Alwal, Macha Bolarum and other places.”