Winter wonderland in eastern Turkey eyes 1M tourists

By Yunus Hocaoglu

ERZURUM, Turkey (AA) - A Turkish ski resort on the slopes of Mount Palandoken in eastern Erzurum province, one of the most frigid areas in the country, is expecting to host 1 million tourists during the next winter season.

The preparation works at the ski resort have already started for the new season, Okay Memis, the governor of Erzurum province, told Anadolu Agency.

Stressing that main visitors are expected to be from Russia, Iran and European countries, Memis said that Erzurum -- which has some of the best winter sport facilities in the world -- will await its visitors and ski enthusiasts in the winter season.

As a top winter tourism attraction for skiers, Palandoken provides an opportunity for paragliding, as well as night skiing via its world-standard lighting system and many new facilities like ski jumping ramps and shooting ramps for the biathlon. Moreover, the popular ski resort is only two kilometers (1.2 miles) away from the city center.

The provincial municipality together with the governor's office carry activities on creating racetracks for trekking and bicycle tours, Memis said.

We plan to entertain more tourists by constructing new comfortable hotels where traditional cuisine will be served, he added.

Memis also stressed the importance of safety in skiing, saying that they are currently working on increasing the safety-related measures.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev