Ski resorts across country await skiers

Taylan Özgür Dil- ISTANBUL

With the new winter sports season expected to start in mid-December in Erciyes, Uludağ, Kartepe, Palandöken and Sarıkamış, the leading winter tourism centers in Türkiye, winter resorts are counting down the days to host skiers, while hotels expect to have a winter season with one of the highest occupancy rates.

According to the information obtained from tour operators, online platforms and telephone reservations, accommodation in five major ski resorts average is 4,000 liras per night.

Giving an example from a holiday program in Uludağ in the northwestern province of Bursa, those who want to spend four nights and five days should be willing to pay an average of 16,000 liras ($858) for two people.

In Palandöken in the eastern province of Erzurum, the cost of a room for two people for four nights and five days is approaching 19,000 liras ($1,019). The cost of traveling to Erzurum by plane from Istanbul is approximately 2,300 ($123) liras per person.

The facilities for ski tourism in the country have a total bed capacity of about 10,000. These facilities, which mainly serve foreign tourists in December and January, welcome domestic tourists during the schools’ mid-term breaks.

During school’s mid-term breaks at the end of January, the nightly price is expected to approach 5,000 liras ($268).

On the other hand, the cost of accommodation in city centers where ski resorts are located is almost one-fourth of the price.

For the winter holidays, the prices of hotels in the city center can vary between 500 liras ($27) to 1000 liras (54) per night.

[HH] Russians fill Erciyes ski resorts

This season will be one of the busiest seasons ever, stated Murat Cahid Cıngı, the chairman of Erciyes Ski Resorts.

“This year, the number of planes arriving from Russia has increased to five per week. In this regard, Erciyes will be the only address for skiers coming from Russia,” Cıngı noted.

Stating that they are preparing to welcome guests from various countries such as Ukraine, Poland, Germany and France, Cıngı pointed out that 80 percent of the hotels are already full.

They expect an occupancy rate of 100 percent throughout the season, he added.