The Australian hotel industry is taking full advantage of cricket fever with close to full occupancy in host cities and average rates surging by 100%.
Cricket fans from the Indian subcontinent, the UK and South Africa have been flocking Down under for the cricket and heading to Australia’s most popular beach resorts in between matches.
"Cricket World Cup is a win-win situation for us. Tourists coming to watch matches in Brisbane have planned their trips further to the Gold Coast, known for its beautiful sun-kissed beaches," said one Gold Coast hotelier.
Industry analysts say rates have doubled on average from A$150 to A$300.
The luxury hotel segment has also seen similar increases and an average five-star room now costs A$700.
"Despite a huge surge in hotel tariffs, occupancy rates are experiencing full bookings compared to the average occupancy rate of 60-65% for the year. Millions of tourists, both domestic and international, are expected to visit Down Under to watch the matches," said the general manager of a Melbourne luxury hotel.
According to the Accommodation Association of Australia, there is a nationwide inventory of 227,320 hotel rooms
International arrivals rose 7.9% to 6.6 million overseas visitors during 2013-2014, generating A$30 billion in spending, according to official government data.
