Friday Feb 20, 2026
Friday Feb 20, 2026
Saturday, 14 February 2026 00:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Nisthar Cassim
The ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has triggered a spike in daily tourist arrivals with numbers tipped to rise further in view of tomorrow’s blockbuster contest between arch rivals India and Pakistan in Colombo.
The latest statistics by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) for the first 12 days of the month shows there were 124,460 visitors, up 19% year-on-year (YoY). This has also pushed year-to-date (YTD) arrivals to 401,787, up 12.5% compared to the corresponding period last year.
The daily average arrival figure upto 12 February has climbed YoY to 10,372 from 8,712. While 70,355 tourists were recorded during the first week of the month, arrivals strengthened thereafter, with 10,420 on Sunday, 9,846 on Monday, 10,362 on Tuesday, 10,746 on Wednesday, and peaking at 12,731 on Thursday.
Industry sources confirmed that city hotels are fully booked, with strong spill over demand extending to properties up to Mount Lavinia and Negombo. “The cricket fever has significantly boosted short-term travel, particularly from regional markets,” they added.
Industry stakeholders expect the momentum to continue in the coming days as cricket enthusiasts’ travel to Colombo, reinforcing the role of sports tourism as a catalyst for short-term demand growth.
Ahead of the 2026 edition, the head-to-head record in T20 World Cups stands at 7–1 in favour of India. Across eight previous matches since the tournament›s inauguration in 2007, India has emerged victorious seven times, including a bowl-out win and a nail-biting final.
India remains the biggest source for tourists, accounting for 18,819 visitors or 15% of total between 1 and 12 February. India also leads arrivals YTD at 70,880 followed by the UK (44,053) and Russia (36,949).
