A wave of cricket enthusiasm surrounding the highly anticipated India–Pakistan T20 clash on February 15 has triggered a significant boost in tourism arrivals to Colombo, with thousands of Indian fans travelling to Sri Lanka ahead of the match.
According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 18,819 Indian visitors entered the country between February 1 and 12, making India the leading source market and accounting for 15% of all tourist arrivals during the period. Overall, Sri Lanka recorded 124,460 international arrivals within those twelve days, with February 12 alone seeing the highest single-day figure of 12,731 tourists—three days before the blockbuster encounter between India and Pakistan.
The surge in demand pushed travel costs sharply upward. Travel agencies reported that airfares from Chennai—normally priced between $200 and $250 for the 90-minute flight—spiked to as much as $623 to $756. Flights from Delhi also rose by more than 50%, with one-way fares averaging around $666 in the days leading up to the match.
Hotels across Colombo experienced a parallel boom. Luxury properties reported near-full occupancy on match weekend, with some premium rooms priced close to $1,000 per night—dramatically higher than the seasonal average of roughly $150.
Ticket demand reflected the same intensity. The 35,000-seat stadium sold out completely through the International Cricket Council platform, while more than 88,000 ticket requests were logged, underscoring the immense regional interest generated by one of cricket’s most celebrated rivalries.
Tourism stakeholders say the influx demonstrates how major sporting events can rapidly stimulate visitor arrivals, airline traffic, and hotel occupancy, positioning Sri Lanka to capitalise on future international tournaments as a catalyst for tourism growth.
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