Skiing excitement and enthusiasm continued in Türkiye’s eastern Palandöken ski center through the weekend as one of the country's leading snow resorts visited by domestic and international visitors every year keeps its doors open in April.
Boasting both natural and artificial snow, the ski center in Erzurum province is one of the most preferred by ski lovers, with the number of tourists increasing yearly.
Palandöken Ski Resort, recognized for its snow quality, exceptional nature and ski tracks equipped according to international standards, opened its facilities and trails in the middle of December, while ski lovers from Türkiye and abroad will have the opportunity to enjoy the snow on the slopes until the end of this month.
The depth of snow reaches 1 meter (39.3 inches) on some of the slopes in Palandöken, which welcomed many weekend visitors who decided to come for a quick getaway in the renowned resort in April, at a time when many other ski centers are already closed.
Nuh Şenol, president of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association's (TÜRSAB) northeast Anatolia branch, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that snow levels are still good despite the warmer weather in April. However, this year’s turnout was still low after the devastating earthquakes that struck southeastern parts of the country two months ago, Şenol noted.
“This affected the number of tourists in the ski resorts, yet compared to the other ski resorts in Türkiye, Palandöken hosted more guests than Erciyes, Uludağ and Kartalkaya,” he noted.
“All our facilities are open in April, and we guarantee uninterrupted skiing to ski lovers,” Şenol added, emphasizing the services provided by skilled management teams working in the center continue.
Bora Kanber, the general manager of a hotel in Palandöken, noted that heavy snowfall has been influential in the ski resort recently, emphasizing that the safe tracks and chairlifts are set to maintain operation to provide a thrilling ski experience for ski lovers until the end of the month.
“We have school holidays and Eid festivities ahead of us. (Our) slopes are open until the end of April; our hotels continue to operate ... We are anticipating visitors from Türkiye and abroad,” he underscored.
Sevgi Canlı, one of the visitors, stated that she came to Erzurum from Izmir, adding: “It is surprising and very enjoyable to see such a snowy atmosphere in April. Palandöken is beautiful; the slopes are convenient and safe for skiing. You come to the ski center five minutes from the city center. I recommend Palandöken to everyone.”
According to AA reports, the weekend skiing at the start of April also continued in central Türkiye’s Erciyes, one of the country’s most visited resorts – home to 41 tracks, totaling 130 kilometers.
Since Friday, intermittent flurries in Kayseri added to the snow at Erciyes Winter Sports and Tourism Center. Many ski lovers were seen enjoying skiing and throwing snowballs at Tekir Kapı. Foreign tourists taking advantage of the chilly weather this spring were mostly arriving from Far East countries and Latin America.
