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InDepth headlines national business sports cricket regional entertainment technology world travel autos health | in-depth coverage > Asia Cup 2004 > Indian fans 'invade' Sri Lanka for the final 18.45 IST 01st Aug 2004 By IndiaExpress Bureau Thousands of Indian fans have followed their team to watch today's Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, even as the hotels in Colombo were teeming with guests for the first time in decades. All the city's five-star hotels had to turn away enthusiastic fans who were looking for accommodation without prior bookings. Earlier, hotels were more than happy to offer rooms and rarely did anyone need an advance booking. "Today is unusually heavy because of the Indian fans," a spokesman for Trans Asia hotel said. It was the same story with the Taj, Colombo Plaza, the Hilton and the Ceylon Continental. Even the non-five star category hotels like the Galle Face was full. Hotel rates have also been rising sharply since government troops and Tamil Tiger guerrillas called the ceasefire in February 2002. Sri Lanka received about half a million foreign tourist arrivals last year. Indian tourists make up for most number of visitors followed closely by Britons. Tourism minister Anura Bandaranaike said he expected the number of foreign holidaymakers to increase to 550,000 this year, but admitted that the country was desperately in need of more hotels. in-depth coverage > Asia Cup 2004 > |
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