Raja Syed Rather
Srinagar, Apr 02 : Over the past 11 days, Asia’s second-largest Tulip Garden, in Srinagar, witnessed a rush of more than one lakh tourists, including both domestic and foreign visitors.
The Tulip Garden was opened to the general public on March 23 this year, and it witnessed a significant influx of tourists during the first week.
According to details available with the news agency, the garden, managed by Khan Mudasir, witnessed an unprecedented response from visitors within the first five days of its opening, with 105,861 tourists having visited since March 23.
He said this year saw a mix of both domestic and foreign tourists, with a significant increase compared to last year. While only around 1,500 foreign tourists visited last year, a total of 415 foreigners and 5,112 locals have visited the garden so far this year.
The officers informed that the number of local visitors has crossed the 100,334 mark, making the total count of visitors to the Tulip Garden this year reach 105,861.
Moreover, 100,334 tourists from various parts of the country have visited the garden within the past 11 days.
To enhance the visitor experience and reduce long queues, the garden management has introduced online ticket processing, which has been well-received by tourists.
To encourage educational visits, a special 20% discount on tickets has been extended to students until April 10, as announced by the contract overseeing the garden.
Visitors have hailed the government’s efforts in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience, expressing satisfaction with the arrangements made.
Despite challenges such as pre-booked accommodations affecting travel to Kashmir, officials anticipate that the garden will surpass last year’s record of 366,000 visitors. With tourist numbers at an all-time high, a further increase in visitors is expected after Eid, they said.
