Kashmir banks on almond and tulip blooms to revive tourism hit after Pahalgam terror attack

Kashmir seeks to revive tourism with blooming almond and tulip gardens, inaugurated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah this spring.

Facing a major setback after the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Government is banking on the blooming gardens of tulips and almonds to revive tourism in the Valley this year.  

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is set to inaugurate a spring festival later this week at Srinagar’s Badamwari, an almond garden that offers mesmerising blooming pink and white flowers.  

“An additional 300 fresh almond trees have been planted to add to the bloom this year. A lavender patch spread over 50 kanal (6.25 acre) of Badamwari is being curated to extend the spring flowering up to May-June. Many new plants have been introduced to add to the colour palette and fragrance of the garden,” Mathoora Masoom, Director of Floriculture, Kashmir, told The Hindu.

Spread over 300 kanal (37.5 acre) of land, the Badamwari garden, which predates the 14th century, has an Afghan-era fort — Hari Parbhat — nearby. It also houses the shrines of religious figures revered by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.

“We aim to transform the garden into an all-season garden. The idea is to introduce the visitors to the rich varieties of floral beauty Kashmir offers. The garden’s traditional aesthetics is being integrated into modern visitor-friendly features,” Ms. Masoom said.

Editorial | Kashmir revival: On the path of tourism