Srinagar, Apr 25: Asia’s largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar concluded its 2025 season on April 24, drawing a record-breaking 8.55 lakh visitors over 30 days. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, located at the foothills of the Zabarwan range, once again proved to be a major attraction in the Valley’s tourism calendar.
The garden opened on March 26, 2025, and remained open until April 24, welcoming a massive number of locals, domestic tourists, and international travelers. According to official data, this year’s footfall included over 4,000 international tourists.
However, officials noted that after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the garden experienced a noticeable dip in number of visitors.
This year saw a marked increase in both domestic and international tourist arrivals across the Valley, including at the Tulip Garden. The tourism sector, which had suffered heavily in the past decade, only began a modest revival in the last few years.
Pertinent to mention here, the 2023 season welcomed around 3.65 lakh visitors at Tulip Garden, while 2024 saw a stronger recovery with over 6.25 lakh tourists, setting the stage for this year’s historic turnout.
Despite the 2025 success, uncertainty clouds the outlook for the 2026 season, with several stakeholders expressing concern about the lasting impact of renewed security fears following the recent Pahalgam attack.
“While this year has been encouraging, whether this flow continues next year or not remains to be seen,” said a tourism department official.
Tour operators, meanwhile, remain cautiously optimistic, hoping the growing interest in Kashmir’s Spring beauty will continue to outweigh negative perceptions. The government is also planning several tourism-friendly events in the coming months to sustain the current momentum.
Home to over 1.7 million tulips of various colors and species, the garden remains a vibrant symbol of peace, beauty, and resilience in Kashmir’s evolving narrative.
