SRI NAGAR: After being severely hit by the Pahalgam terror attack last year, the clouds of uncertainty are again looming large on Kashmir tourism as the tourist season starts with the opening of the famed Tulip Garden and Badamwari (almond garden) amid the West Asia war and the emerging commercial gas crisis. The tourism stakeholders are apprehensive that the global events may influence travel plans and dampen the tourist rush to the picturesque Valley.
The Badamwari (almond) garden in Srinagar was thrown open to visitors earlier than usual this year after the almond bloom ahead of schedule.
Spread over nearly 300 kanals of land, the garden is currently a spectacle of pink and white blossoms, drawing local visitors and a small number of tourists eager to witness the early signs of spring.
The famed Tulip Garden in Srinagar would also be thrown open to visitors on March 16.
However, this year’s spring season has begun with apprehension as tourism stakeholders are apprehensive that the Gulf War may have a severe impact on Kashmir tourism.
Senior hotelier and former Kashmir Hotel & Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) president Abdul Wahid Malik said the hospitality sector is grappling with a shortage of commercial gas.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed in view of war,” Malik said. “There are bookings, but whether people will actually come or not will become clear in the coming days.”
President of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK) Farooq Ahmad Kuthoo said they were expecting good tourist footfall, but uncertainty has slowed travel enquiries.