Fans get ready to travel to World Cup
With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 just two months away, thousands of fans are making their travel plans ahead to the tournament.
We spoke to Shirley Rattray, Manager, Cricket Logistics, the ICC Official Travel and Tours Provider, about what packages exist for supporters wanting to travel to the event.
Why would you encourage fans to travel to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011?
Any ICC Cricket World Cup is a must-see event for cricket fans everywhere, but this event offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to see all the world's best international teams come together in cricket-crazy Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. There will be great excitement surround the event in this part of the world and there is nothing cricket fans enjoy more than to share their experiences with other cricket lovers, so travelling supporters are assured of a warm welcome and exceptional hospitality when they arrive in the host countries.
What kind of package is available for supporters travelling to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011?
The ICC, through Cricket Logistics, has appointed a network of Official Travel Agents around the world and theses agents tailor their packages to the needs of their travelling supporters. Generally all agents will be as flexible as possible and provide fully escorted tours as well as packages around individual matches. For further information on what is available from your country or to contact Cricket Logistics, please visit www.cricketlogistics.com for a list of official travel agents.
What advantage do fans get from using an official provider in comparison to trying to travel independently?
The advantages are massive if you travel through an official travel agent! Primarily peace of mind in terms of match ticket provision and the assurance that your travel agent will not let you down. For many people, travelling to ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is a big commitment and no-one wants to spend precious holiday time becoming stressed about whether they will be able to get hold of match tickets or if their hotel might not honour their booking.
So, by travelling with an official travel provider, international cricket supporters are assured that (a) their match tickets are guaranteed and (b) on the ground, they have expert backup provided by official and experienced ground handlers, TUI India (Bangladesh, India) and Aitken Spence (Sri Lanka).
Besides these factors, the official travel agents around the world are all sports travel specialists so they understand and cater for the needs of cricket fans: they know what you are talking about when you ask about the location of tickets in grounds and so on. If you are travelling in a group, they are experienced in handling group travel and you will be seated together at grounds.
To be honest, you would have to have a very compelling reason not book your travel through the official channels given all the advantages that the official routes offer and which are designed to ensure fans from overseas enjoy the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with the minimum of fuss.
What games are proving particularly popular with fans for the 2011 event?
The knock-out phase of quarters, semis and final are always very popular as that's when everything is at stake for the teams. If India qualifies for the quarter-finals and semi-finals they are guaranteed to play them respectively in Ahmedabad and Mohali.
However, certain pool games are proving particularly appealing and any match involving India is huge, especially India v England and India v South Africa. Matches involving the other cricketing giants are also very popular, including South Africa v England, Australia v Sri Lanka, Australia v Pakistan and Australia v New Zealand.
Agents around the world are offering packages to take in all these matches in various different combinations, but you should book soon to enjoy the greatest choice of tickets and hotels.
If fans are travelling on their own, but keen to interact with other supporters, what packages are on offer?
The beauty of a cricket tour is that everyone shares a common love of cricket and has plenty of tales to tell, so there is always someone to chat to and go to matches with. The best way to see the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 if you are travelling solo is to join a fully escorted tour - you will be safe in the knowledge that not only will you enjoy the company of like minded people, but that your tour manager will a cricket enthusiast too.
Will you have some supporters who come out for just one game or do some fans follow the whole event?
If you check out the tours that the official travel agent(s) in your country offer, you'll find that they give you a choice of fully escorted tours as well as packages for different matches. However much or little you want to see of the tournament, they will be able to help you.
What kind of fans use your packages? Do people of all ages and backgrounds use your services?
Cricket fans come in all shapes, sizes, ages, genders and nationalities. People travel as couples, as groups of friends, as individuals and in family parties. Often people use an event like the ICC Cricket World Cup to celebrate a special birthday or anniversary, and some even combine it with a honeymoon - any excuse will do! Cricket is a unifying passion and it doesn't matter where you are from, you are welcome on our official tours.
Do your services offer fans the chance to see the main tourist attractions as well as the cricket?
It's important that we don't lose sight of what fantastic touring destinations these are too and all the official travel agents will help ensure your experience is enriched by offering opportunities to visit the main tourist attractions from the Taj Mahal, Rajasthan and Golden Triangle in India to the Temple of Dambulla, elephant orphanages and tea estates of Sri Lanka. Where you visit on the escorted tours is dependent on the matches you are watching, but all the travel agents will happily book add on trips to particular places of interest. There's no reason not to see the best of these countries whilst enjoying the best of one day international cricket.
Do you have to live outside the host countries to use the travel and tour packages? What do you offer to fans living in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka?
If you live in the host countries, you don't get left out! There are various travel packages available to you too - please visit www.cricketlogistics.com for details of agents in your countries.