Ski season kicks off in country’s east

ERZURUM

The ski season has started at Palandöken and Konaklı in the eastern province of Erzurum, one of the favorite destinations for winter tourism.

While ski centers established in cooperation with the state and the private sector continue to stimulate winter tourism, thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit Palandöken and Konaklı Ski Centers in Erzurum.

Palandöken and Konaklı Ski Centers, which is among the longest and steepest slopes in the world, has 20 special racecourses registered by the International Ski Federation.

Selim Bağrıyanık, the general manager of a ski resort in Erzurum, said Palandöken has the only artificial ice wall in Türkiye with a height of 20 meters and a length of 150 meters.

"We opened the season in Palandöken and Konaklı Ski Centers operated by Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality. We were the first city to open the ski season in Türkiye this year. Currently, there is nearly 1.5 meters of snow on the ski slopes,” he said.

“Palandöken, which is 15 minutes from the airport and only five minutes from the city center, offers its visitors both easy transportation and the opportunity to enrich their vacation by visiting very important historical and cultural sites from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods in the city center,” Bağrıyanık said.

“We will have a full season this year. Since Erzurum is a winter sports center, people can enjoy curling, ice hockey, ice skating and take advantage of the healing hot springs in addition to skiing,” he added.

Ajda Başar, a student of Erzurum Atatürk University Nursing Department, who went to Palandöken with her friends for skiing, said, "I am from Artvin. We are trying to benefit from the beauties of Erzurum where I study. Due to the opening of the season, skiing is free today and we are very happy about it.”