Colombo is seeing a surge in travel demand, hotel bookings and ticket resale activity ahead of the India-Pakistan cricket match at R Premadasa Stadium, according to fans, travel sellers and hotel executives in the city.
Early in the week, groups gathered outside the stadium in the Khettarama area despite no on-site ticket sales, with many hoping to find seats through unofficial channels or last-minute resales.
Fans arrive without tickets as resale prices rise
Several visiting supporters said they travelled to Sri Lanka without confirmed match tickets, expecting to secure entry through resale platforms or private sellers.
Aslam, who said he flew from Karachi, said he was prepared to buy tickets “even on the black market.” Another fan, Faizan, said he had seen resale listings reaching about $800 for a seat. Colombo resident Roshan Esgire said he had not found any tickets available.
Outside the stadium gates, unofficial sellers were seen quoting prices to people in the queue, while police officers monitored the crowd.
Airfares and package demand increase
Travel agents in central Colombo reported heightened demand for flights in the days leading up to the match, with changing prices displayed in shopfronts and shared in messaging groups.
Fans and travel sellers cited one-way economy fares from Delhi to Colombo around Rs 1.10 lakh, with business-class fares above Rs 2 lakh, while prices from Mumbai and Bengaluru were also described as elevated. Several travellers said their overall cost of attending the match now exceeded the ticket price.
Hotels report higher occupancy and last-minute bookings
Hotels near the seafront and central districts said the match has triggered a sharp rise in bookings after uncertainty over whether the fixture would go ahead.
At Ramada Colombo, general manager Vivek Karkhoven said the hotel was expecting a 30–40% jump in business, attributing the movement to late confirmation and a rush of inbound travellers. Other guests and business representatives said they had paid significantly above typical rates to secure rooms and tickets.
In neighbourhoods including Bambalapitiya, some guesthouses were described as fully booked, while visitors exchanged room leads through WhatsApp groups and other informal networks.
Match weekend boosts local spending
Across the city, restaurants, bars, tuk-tuk drivers and small vendors near the stadium reported increased footfall linked to the fixture.
Several attendees said they expected the crowd inside Premadasa to be dominated by Indian supporters arriving from Indian cities and overseas, reflecting the match’s draw for travelling fans.
For local businesses, the fixture is being treated as a high-revenue weekend, with hotels, airlines and hospitality venues adjusting prices and staffing for the spike in demand.