Highest ever 4.70 lakh tourists visited J-K in last two months: LG Manoj Sinha

SRINAGAR — Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a tourism boom as in just the first two months of the year 2023, 4.70 lakh tourists have visited the UT as the administration expects another record number of tourist arrivals in the ensuing year.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating Asia’s largest Tulip garden, situated in the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range, overlooking Dal Lake in Srinagar, the LG said that tourism is picking up and tourists are visiting in large numbers.

“In just January and February months, 4.70 lakh tourists visited J&K and the figure excludes Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims,” the LG said as per the news agency KNO, adding that the figure is the highest ever so far compared to the past.

He said that in 2022, 1 crore and 28 lakh tourists visited J&K and the figure is the highest in the past many decades.

He said that this year, 16 tulips are in full bloom in the garden with 68 varieties. The garden is spread over 30 hectares of land. “I am glad to announce that we have a second Tulip garden at Patnitop where 2.5 lakh tulips are in full bloom. Efforts are on to keep both the gardens open throughout the year,” the LG said. He thanked the gardeners for their hard work and for keeping the garden ready in record time.

He said that EMARR group’s Rs 500 crores investment in J&K will give confidence to other foreign players to invest in J&K. “I am sure, we will see a huge investment in the healthcare and hospitality sector, tourism, and other sectors,” the LG said.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed the “Taqdeer and Tasveer” of J&K in the past three years.