T20 World Cup draws cricket crazy crowds, tourists
Cricket fever has taken a new high with Colombo becoming the centre of attention as cricket playing nations’ visitors flock to the island for the ICC World T20.
Tourists at T20 match. Pic by Amila Gamage
Be it Colombo, Kandy or Hambantota visitors make themselves at home taking excursions if accommodation is not available and participating in the special events organized.
Cultural shows out of Colombo and food promotions in addition to events in bars have been organized this year to ensure visitors have more things to do while staying to watch the matches, City Hotels Association President K. Shanthikumar told the Business Times.
He noted that due to a lack of accommodation in Kandy some would even travel from Colombo to Kandy to watch the matches and return to the city by around 3.00am.
With the high turnout of visitors, city hotels were booked and since the matches kicked off arrivals went up by 20% compared to August, Mr. Shanthikumar said.
Average occupancies in hotels were at 80% and since Wednesday until the finals occupancy is expected to be at 92%, he explained. Occupancies in August stood at around 65%.
Those arriving are mostly middle-aged persons with a sufficiently “good” spending power while a few high spenders were also visiting the country, he said.
Cricket fans have helped hotels out of Colombo by increasing the occupancies, he said adding that some of the diaspora have also arrived for the matches.
Of the total arrivals about 15% comprise diaspora from London and Germany who have also been visiting other places like Jaffna, Trincomalee and Pasikudah.
Most visitors to the country are from the India and the UK with others from the rest of the cricket playing countries.
Cricket fans are expected to move out of Colombo after October 10, he said adding that some of the hotel occupancies could be attributed to the ongoing telecommunications conference as well.
Tourists at T20 match. Pic by Amila Gamage
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