In about a few days Tulip garden, nestled in the lap of Zabarwan Mountains on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar, would be open for general public. The ticket as usual would be an impressive Rs.50 for tourists and the locals alike. It is a great sight to see people from all the length and breadth of India paying a visit to the beautifully laid out terraced garden. The common argument is that in itself the Tulip Garden of Srinagar is not a revenue generator but it triggers a ripple effect in tourism due to which all parties associated with the tourism sector benefit. For example, the travel agents qualify more booking during tulip bloom season, giving benefit to the transport sector and the hoteliers of the valley. It is all certain that the tourists who tiptoe their way in Tulip garden are not on a one day journey but would prefer to stay in for more than one day thus creating a ripple effect in tourist.
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There is a parallel argument going on in certain sections of civil society and media that in itself Tulip Garden has been a bit of a flop show as the tourist rush has decreased. There is nothing attractive in the garden once the tulip bloom is over-which lasts for a pathetically low twenty odd days. So how much revenue can a Tulip Garden generate in twenty peak days? It practically depends on the footfall. It needs fifty thousand people per day to make an impressive collection. The rush due to Covid-19 may be many times lesser. The locals from the last few years have shown tremendous enthusiasm in making it a point to visit the garden along with their families. From last few years’ people from the countryside have also begun to visit the garden. We can do a great service to our tourism sector by going the Iran way by making it mandatory for families to go on an outing in different cul-de-sacs of their country. Besides, Tulip Garden has not been promoted the way it should have been. One gets prompted to ask the question-Is Tulip garden really creating a positive ripple effect in our economy?
