The tourism industry of Sri Lanka will gain tremendously with the ICC World Cup 2011 industrialists said. Sri Lanka is co host to this biggest sporting event. The exposure given by the international media, the large numbers of cricket enthusiasts visiting Sri Lanka during the matches as well as the stadiums that matches are to be played have created a massive advantage to the industry, they said.
The tournament is being co hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19-April 2. In Sri Lanka the matches will be played at three venues which include R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo, Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket stadium Sooriyawewa, Hambantota and Muttiah Muralitharan cricket stadium Pallekele, Kandy. Around 300,000-350,000 tickets were printed for the 12 matches to be played in Sri Lanka and all tickets have been aheady sold except for the Rs 50 tickets, said Host Tournament Director World Cup 2011 Suraj Dandeniya.
A large number of print media journalists and 60-70 TV crews will come to Sri Lanka during this period. For players and match officials alone 3,000 room nights have been booked and they will stay at Cinnamon Grand, Taj Samudra, Hilton Hotel, Peacock Hotel Hambantota, Earls Regency and Amaya Resorts in Kandy. All costs of officials and players will be borne by the ICC.
Over 15,000-20,000 tourists will witness the matches spread over the next one and a half months. The Tourist Board has arranged site seeing tours and dinners to coincide with the ICC world Cricket Cup. According to CMC sources the Green Path Night Fiesta will be held on the days the matches are being played at the R. Premadasa Stadium. This will enable cricket fans who could not go to the venue to watch the match and also enjoy themselves.