Ahmedabad: While India’s economical bowling earned them a seven-wicket win over England in the ICC Men’s T20 semi-final, the victory’s result on the city’s hospitality industry is anything but economical. The anticipation of a cracker of a final against the Kiwis has knocked hotel tariffs out of the park, and in just 12 hours of India’s entry into the final, also to be hosted in Ahmedabad, hotels have recorded 80% occupancy.A night’s stay at a hotel in Motera, managed by a popular brand, was listed for Rs 1.16 lakh on its website. When contacted, the hotel quoted a different tariff — rooms offered at around Rs 80,000 plus 18% GST. A hotel near Keshavbaug quoted Rs 80,000 for a one-night stay, while properties on Sindhu Bhavan Road are charging anywhere between Rs 56,000 to Rs 76,000, depending on room category and availability. Even budget options are no longer ‘budget’. The lowest rates cited was around Rs 15,000 for a non-star hotel in the Satellite area, a level that is significantly higher than typical weekend pricing for similar properties. In upscale residential-commercial pockets such as Judges Bungalow, a room that usually costs around Rs 6,000 with breakfast is now being offered for the match weekend at Rs 20,000 — without breakfast. Customers are also facing tougher payment and cancellation terms. A prospective guest who called up several hotels was told that an advance payment was required and that refunds were not possible. This marked a shift from standard online booking practices, where many hotels typically allow cancellations until close to the check-in time. For the match weekend, several properties have either removed cancellation options entirely or applied restrictive conditions. Hospitality industry representatives said the surge is driven by demand from fans who have secured tickets to the final and are travelling down. Narendra Somani, president, Gujarat Hotels and Restaurants Association, said most of the city’s inventory was already committed. “Currently, room rates are Rs 15,000 to Rs 80,000 and can cross Rs 1 lakh because more demand is coming in with people getting tickets. March generally remains slow, but the World Cup final helped hotels achieve the average for the month,” Somani said. A staff member at a five-star hotel said the property was sold out, attributing the lack of availability to bulk bookings. With large blocks of rooms taken up in advance, remaining inventory across the city tightened, pushing up prices for last-minute travellers. Business groups expected the match to generate spillover gains beyond hotels. Sanjeev Chhajer, chairman of the travel and tourism taskforce at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said visitors are arriving from across India and overseas. “The city is going to witness a huge business opportunity in terms of hotels, restaurants, tourism, and transportation. Restaurants and the handloom and handicrafts segment will also see good business,” Chhajer said.
