High influx of Indian tourists for T20 World Cup boosts tourism for February

By Huzefa Aliasger

Colombo, Feb. 17 (Daily Mirror) - Due to the highly anticipated India against Pakistan T20 cricket match, which was held on February 15, a large group of Indian tourists have entered Colombo, which increased tourism for February compared to the previous years, with a total of 18,819 Indians entering Colombo from 1 - 12 February, according to data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

Data as of February 12 show that India ranked highest in tourist arrivals for the month, and is 15 per cent of all tourists in Sri Lanka for February. A total of 124,460 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka from 1 to 12 February. According to SLTDA data on February 12, which is three days before the match. The highest number of tourists was recorded, totalling 12,731.

Airfares have also increased sharply. Colombo-based travel agencies reported that flights from nearby cities, especially Chennai and Delhi, have seen dramatic increases in fares. A one-way flight from Chennai, which is just a short 90-minute flight away from Colombo, had jumped from the typical $200-$250 range to as high as $623 to $756. Similarly, flights from Delhi experienced a price increase of more than 50 per cent, with one-way tickets now hovering around $666.

Luxury hotels reported near 100 per cent occupancy on Saturday night, with some properties witnessing a dramatic surge in pricing. In some instances, premium rooms were quoted at nearly $1,000 per night, which was an increase from the seasonal average of roughly $150.

The stadium, which can accommodate a maximum of 35,000 spectators, reached its full capacity, with every ticket sold out through the ICC website. More than 88,000 ticket requests were received for the match, far exceeding the stadium’s limit and signalling the demand for the match.