Deluxe hotels here said they were fully booked for the weekend while smaller establishments too said they had not seen this sort of influx of Indians in recent times.

The main shopping areas were open for extended hours Sunday as Indians were seen shopping at Colombo's more popular clothing stores known for selling top international brands at bargain basement prices.

"We are fully booked today and tomorrow," said a spokesman for the five-star Trans Asia Hotel. "The cricket fans are taking up most of the rooms."

"Sorry, we can't accept any bookings right now," said a manager at the Galle Face Hotel.

Hotel rates have also been rising sharply since a truce between government troops and Tamil Tiger guerrillas went into effect in February 2002 with half a million foreign tourist arrivals last year.

Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike said he expected the number of foreign holidaymakers to increase to 550,000 this year, but admitted the country was desperately in need of more hotel rooms.