|
India tour Pakistan
- Samsung Cup 2004 |
|
|
icricketer.com > Series > India tour Pakistan >
News
Hotels overbooked as Lahore set to welcome Indian cricketers
LAHORE: A commercial bonanza is in the offing in
Lahore as Pakistan’s second largest city prepares to host Indian
cricketers next week for the first time in 15 years. All hotels have
already been fully booked while roadside eateries and restaurants
known for traditional dishes are undergoing a facelift while
shopkeepers are planning special lighting in main bazaars, officials
said.
Even the taxi drivers are upbeat as the big event draws closer. Led
by captain Sourav Ganguly, a 15-member Indian team is due here on
March 10 for a much-awaited cricket encounter between the foes now
treading a peace path. The Indians will play a practice game in
Lahore before flying to Karachi to play the first of the five
one-day matches on March 13.
But Lahore, known as Pakistan’s cultural capital will host two day
and night matches on March 21 and 23 as well as a Test match later.
"From the posh five-star to the middle class, all hotels have
been sold out in Lahore," travel agent Irfan Ahmed said.
"The cricket enthusiasm will surpass the usual boisterous
annual kite flying festival of Basant when the city of eight million
goes berserk with joy," general manager of a four-star hotel,
Nadeem Qadir say. He said his hotel was booked to capacity starting
from March 15 until late April because of the cricket matches.
Lahore’s three international-standard hotels have a capacity of
around 1,000 rooms. Most of the 8,000 Indian fans will be arriving
here through the nearby Wagah border, the only land crossing between
the two counties, while thousands of others are expected to fly into
the city from different countries. "If you are calling for a
booking, we are sorry we have no room until April 25," said the
Pearl Continental hotel’s deputy general manager, Haseeb Gardezi.
"This is an event which will attract a lot of people from
across the world and hotels will benefit from the rush," said
Gardezi whose hotel will host the Indian team. He said security
would be stringent for the Indian guests. The city’s posh and
popular hotels are charging up to 20,000 rupees (330 dollars) a day
from the usual 100 to 120 dollars.
Smaller hotels have also increased their room rents from 30 dollars
to 150 dollars a day. "This is the time to make most profits
and enjoy the kind of income that we are going to generate in the
next four weeks," said Mohammad Arif, owner of a 25-room hotel
in the city’s fashionable Upper Mall neighbourhood.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
