The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially called the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad and commonly known as Paris 2024, is scheduled from July 26, 2024 to August 11 in Paris, France. The capital, the main host city apart from 16 other cities spread across the country, and a subsite in Tahiti — an island within the French overseas country of French Polynesia — are all decked up for the prestigious games.
The city is geared up for an influx of over 15 million visitors during the event, a substantial 30% surge compared to previous years.
This rise in sports tourism is boosting the overall travel industry, and Indians have been at the forefront of this emerging segment of travellers.
Also read: Uber to offer Seine cruises, day trips in Paris during Olympics Daniel D'Souza, President and Country Head of holidays at SOTC Travel, told CNBC-TV18, "Sports tourism is emerging as a big power driver for our India market, and we are seeing a surge in the pricing of approximately 20-35%, especially for marquee games of cricket, tennis (Wimbledon, Australia Open), football, and the Olympics.
This rise in sports tourism is boosting the overall travel industry, and Indians have been at the forefront of this emerging segment of travellers.
However, he highlighted that one of the significant shifts the company has witnessed in its 75-year history is the entry of younger travellers. "The average age of our customers has dropped by approximately 10 years) showcasing interest in experiential travel. This growth is attributed to a burgeoning middle class, a growing appetite for unique experiences and rising High Net worth individuals (HNIs) and Ultra High Net worth individual (UHNI) segments," he explained.
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Rs 4 crore tour package for 2024 Paris Olympics promises special meet up with athletes and more "Owing to the growing demand, we [SOTC] are also curating itineraries for our HNI-UHNI segment. These highlight experiences across gastronomy, art, and culture in and around Paris, such as Cordon Bleu certification courses, wine tasting and food pairings at the vineyards in the Champagne region (Reims—Epernay), sunset horseback riding on the beach in Deauville, biking trips to explore Versailles—its scenic gardens, markets, and spectacular palace, Seine River Dinner Cruise, etc.
Meanwhile, Rajeev Kale - President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa - Thomas Cook (India) Limited, revealed, "Our consumer data trends for 2024 highlight a 40% surge in demand for big-ticket global sporting events - and topping the list is the cricket World Series, Wimbledon, the Olympics and F1 (Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, etc.)
Today’s digital economy and social sharing are equally powerful growth drivers with undeniable braggable rights of attending such premium sporting engagements."
"The key segments for us are Indian fans/fan clubs, ad-hoc groups of friends and the powerful corporate MICE sector that opts for exclusive VIP boxes, uber premium hospitality packages and experiences. We design exclusive options, including a meet and greet, dining with sporting stars, and signed merchandise. What is truly encouraging is that Indians are displaying a spend appetite for such crème de la crème sporting extravaganzas, with one of our premium programs for the Olympics working out to Rs 11 lakhs per person for a group of around 50 customers.
