Colombo airfares soar up to Rs 1 lakh ahead of India–Pakistan T20 World Cup match

Airfares to Colombo have shot up sharply as Indian cricket fans scramble to secure last-minute travel for Sunday’s India–Pakistan T20 World Cup clash, with uncertainty around the fixture now resolved.Bookings spiked after Pakistan rolled back its boycott stance around February 9–10, setting off a surge in demand for flights and hotels in the Sri Lankan capital.Booking volumes for February 12–16 have risen around 22% compared with a typical February weekend, Pickyourtrail cofounder Hari Ganapathy told ET. A significant portion of reservations came in over the past few days, underlining last-minute demand “as fans adjust plans after the fixture was definitively reinstated”, he said. Cleartrip’s chief growth and business officer Manjari Singhal told the news daily that flight bookings during the tournament window have climbed over 20% versus the January baseline and non-event periods, with Colombo leading the surge. “Bookings to the city have surged by nearly 65%, especially around the marquee fixture…the India-Pakistan match.”Hotel demand has also strengthened, rising more than 35%, with travellers favouring mid-range and premium properties, Singhal said. Colombo’s short-haul connectivity and Sri Lanka’s visa-free access for Indians have further enabled spontaneous travel plans, she added.Thomas Cook India said last-minute round-trip fares to Colombo have climbed to around Rs 50,000 from Chennai and Kochi, Rs 70,000 from Mumbai, and between Rs 90,000 and Rs 1 lakh from Delhi.Hotel tariffs, particularly at centrally located and upscale properties, have also been revised upwards, Thomas Cook India president Rajeev Kale said. Outbound demand is strongest from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, with Colombo seeing the bulk of bookings. Travel experts noted spill-over demand into nearby destinations such as Galle and Kandy.Fans extend stays beyond the matchTravel firms are also witnessing longer itineraries. Around 12% of travellers are opting for two- to three-night quick trips centred on the match, while more than 20% are converting the visit into extended holidays with beach stays, nightlife and curated experiences, according to estimates by Pickyourtrail.SOTC Travel president SD Nandakumar told ET that many fans travelling for the game are adding nearby beach destinations and leisure activities to their plans.“India-Pakistan is one of the few matches that materially changes travel economics, even in a short window,” Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Travel Operators. “This is more of a high-margin opportunity than a pure volume play. Pricing power increases sharply due to a short booking window, limited flight inventory, limited match tickets and high emotional demand.”