Srinagar, April 17 — The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar recorded a decline of over 50 per cent in visitors this year, with total footfall dropping to 3.90 lakh as against last year’s record 8.55 lakh, officials said on Friday.
“This year, 3.90 lakh visitors visited the Tulip garden. Among them were 1,222 foreigners and 2.89 lakh domestic tourists,” Assistant Floriculture Officer In-charge Imran Ahmad said, adding that around 1.6 lakh locals also visited the site.
The garden, located on the banks of Dal Lake, was closed to the public on Thursday as the blooming season ended.
Officials attributed the drop partly to an early bloom triggered by rising temperatures, which led to the garden opening on March 16—about a week ahead of schedule. The shorter bloom window is seen as a factor affecting tourist turnout.
The tulip garden, Asia’s largest, features more than 70 varieties of tulips and remains a major attraction during the spring season. It was established in 2008 under the then chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to boost tourism during the lean period.
Visitor figures in recent years show fluctuations, with 4.45 lakh tourists in 2024, 3.75 lakh in 2023, 3.62 lakh in 2022, and 2.25 lakh in 2021. The garden remained closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Last year, the garden closed in April, shortly after an attack in Pahalgam that led to cancellations by tourists, officials said.