Foreign tourists flock to ski resort, Erciyes, Palandöken

Foreign tourists are flocking to ski resorts in Türkiye as the country seeks to diversify its tourism offerings and promote year-round activities, aiming to attract even more visitors.

Foreigners prefer especially the popular ski resorts of Erciyes in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri and Palandöken in the eastern province of Erzurum, which offer affordable prices.

Demand from foreign countries for Turkish ski resorts has increased by 30 percent this season, according to Kaan Karayal from Tatilsepeti, a travel portal.

This week a charter plane brought 189 visitors to Kayseri from Poland, which has become an important source market for the Turkish tourism industry. Charter flights from the Czech Republic to the province will commence on Jan. 11.

For the first time tourists will come to Erciyes, said Zafer Akşehirlioğlu, general manager of Kayseri Erciyes A.Ş.

Erciyes aims to host 100,000 foreign visitors this year, up from last year's 50,000 according to Akşehirlioğlu.

A total of 2.5 million people visited Erciyes in 2024.

Erciyes's location helps it attract foreign visitors, Akşehirlioğlu.

"We are very close to Cappadocia. Tourists visiting Cappadocia travel to Erciyes," he explained, adding that there are 15 hotels at the ski resort.

Palandöken aims for more than 500,000 foreign and domestic visitors in this winter season, according to the provincial directorate of culture and tourism in Erzurum.

Interest from foreign vacationers in Palandöken has been growing fast, said Ergün Demiray, board chair of Dedeman Hotels and Resorts.

Demand is strong from the U.K., Poland, Italy and Germany, he added.

The occupancy rates at the hotels in Palandöken is at 100 percent and around...