The Erciyes Ski Resort, one of the leading winter sports and tourism centers of Turkey, has become the new favorite of foreign tourists thanks to direct flights from abroad.
The resort, which is of international standards thanks to the "Erciyes Master Plan" implemented by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, has been attracting foreign tourists as well as domestic ski lovers in recent years.
Having welcomed a large number of Russian tourists with direct flights from Russia last year, Erciyes has also hosted tourists from Ukraine and Poland this year.
The ski resort, which has been drawing interest with its proximity to the Cappadocia region as well as for ease of transport, track length, mechanical facilities, reasonable price policy, accommodation facilities and service quality, offers its visitors a variety of activities such as snowboarding and sledding on their long tracks.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Murat Cahit Cıngı, general manager of Erciyes AŞ, stated they started to host tourists from foreign countries with their charter flights and that everyone is pleased with the service offered on Mount Erciyes. "Our guests come from Poland, Russia and Ukraine with direct flights to Kayseri. They mainly stay on the mountain and city hotels. They spend week-long holidays skiing, taking cultural tours or enjoying Kayseri's cuisine, and most importantly, by visiting the eighth wonder of the world in the Cappadocia region," he continued, stressing such a destination and such a winter holiday is not possible anywhere else in the world.
"We have created a region where culture, skiing, winter sports, gourmet tourism and historical tourism can all be done under the name of a cultural skiing concept," Cıngı said, adding that with the acceptance of this project in the world market, visitors from seven continents started visiting the city for a winter holiday.
Anatoly Vlasenko, who came from Ukraine to spend his winter holiday in Kayseri upon his friend's recommendation, said Erciyes Ski Resort offers the Alps' standard, adding Erciyes is one of the most ideal resorts for winter tourism. "The snow is excellent; the food is cheap. People are friendly. The tracks are perfect. The weather was bad just for one day. Otherwise, it is quite fine. Erciyes is a very nice place for those enjoying this sport for the first time," Vlasenko said, urging everyone to come, highlighting that Turkey is perfect not only for sea, sand and sun, but also for winter tourism.
Stanislaw Soltycsk from Poland said he had been skiing in many parts of Turkey, recommending that ski lovers come to Erciyes.
Soltycsk, who was quite impressed with the city's weather and landscape said he skied in Erciyes for five days, noting the ski conditions were really nice and positive. "I spent a whole day touring Kayseri, which is really beautiful and a perfect city," he said. "I am very satisfied with the hotel as well. In Erciyes, they prepare the ski slopes every day. It is like the Alps, meaning it offers European standards."
"The meals in the hotels were very nice. I will of course recommend Erciyes to my friends. The prices are very convenient for us in terms of European standards. I will definitely come to Erciyes again," Soltycsk added.
Sofiya Korotayeva, who came to Erciyes with a 44-member team from Russia upon her friends' advice, said she enjoyed everything in Erciyes, especially the sincerity of its people.
Stressing that Erciyes is a must-visit for ski lovers, Korotayeva said it is an amazing place in terms of price and quality, only lacking instructors who can speak Russian. "The mountains are perfect. It has very wide tracks especially for beginners and ski lovers. We do not have its likes in Russia," she said, adding she will definitely recommend Erciyes to her friends in Russia.