By contrast, nearly 34,400 Indian travelers went to Sri Lanka in January, more than double the 13,759 that visited in January last year, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
Fernando also noted the tight relationship between Sri Lanka and India, both in business and tourism.
"Sri Lanka has more to offer … Sri Lanka has more value when it comes to India."
"ITC, the big hotel chain, opened their first hotel out of India in Sri Lanka.
A Maldives concept in Sri Lanka
Persons:
Harin Fernando, Fernando
Organizations:
country's Tourism, CNBC, Sri, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lankan Airlines, ITC
Locations:
Maldives, Sri, India, China, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Sri Lanka's, Sri Lanka, Galle, Colombo