Home to Mount Palandöken, eastern Turkey's Erzurum is one of the coldest places in the country. Thanks to its world-class ski facilities, Erzurum expects to host more than 1 million tourists in the next winter season.
Preparations at the ski resort have already begun for the upcoming season, said Erzurum Governor Okay Memiş.
He said most visitors come here from Iran, Russia and other European countries. Memiş added that Erzurum, which has some of the best winter sports facilities in the world, will be ready for visitors and ski enthusiasts in the winter.
It is a top winter tourist attraction for skiers. With the longest ski track in Turkey, Palandöken, which hosted the University Winter Games in 2011 and the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in 2017, offers local and foreign visitors a true skiing experience. It provides an opportunity for paragliding and night skiing. It has some world-standard lighting, ski ramps and shooting ramps for biathlons. Moreover, the popular ski resort is located only 2 kilometers away from the city center and approximately 15 kilometers from Erzurum Airport.
The provincial municipality and the governor's office are also building racetracks for trekking and bicycle tours, Memiş said.
"We plan to entertain more tourists by constructing new comfortable hotels where traditional cuisine will be served," he added.
Memiş also stressed the importance of safety in skiing, saying that they are always working to improve safety standards.