IND vs PAK Craze: Colombo becomes cricket capital, flight ticket for India-Pak match crosses ₹ 1.45 lakh, no space to set foot in hotels

News India Live, Digital Desk: The India-Pakistan match to be held in Colombo is not just a sports match but is proving to be a ‘booster dose’ for the economy of Sri Lanka. As the match date (February 15) approaches, travel and accommodation expenses have skyrocketed. R of Colombo. Fans are arriving from all over the world for this ‘sold out’ match to be held at Premadasa Stadium. Due to the increase in air fares by up to 500% due to the match, the prices of flight tickets from major cities of India to Colombo have reached a record level: Delhi to Colombo: A ticket which is usually available for ₹ 15,000-₹ 30,000 has now reached ₹ 65,000 to ₹ 1.45 lakh. From Mumbai Colombo: One-way fares on Air India and SriLankan Airlines range between ₹56,000 to ₹90,000.Chennai to Colombo: Despite being the closest, fares from here have increased 3 times to cross ₹50,000. Hotel Booking: Tariff of ₹1 lakh per night. Such a ‘tsunami’ has never been seen before in Colombo’s hotel industry:Premium Hotels: 3-star to 5-star Hotel room rates have increased from ₹ 40,000 to ₹ 1.13 lakh per night. Full Occupancy: Most of the major hotels in the city have been completely booked (Sold Out). Effect of Valentine’s Day: Due to Valentine’s Day on 14 February and the match on 15 February, the double crowd of couples and cricket fans has increased the prices further. According to tourism experts, Sri Lanka’s economy will be revived. Of the 1 lakh tourists who came to Sri Lanka during the day, 20% have come only for this match. Foreign exchange earnings: Sri Lanka hopes that this one match will bring millions of dollars of foreign exchange through tourism. Tourism expansion: Fans are not only watching the match, but are also planning ‘extended holidays’ for tourist places like Galle, Kandy and Sigiriya.