Palandöken Mountain

The ski season at Palandöken Ski Resort kicked off ahead of schedule this year, thanks to an unusually early snowfall in late November which has sparked a surge in winter tourism and visitor reservations.

The first snowfall of the season has dusted Türkiye's ski resorts, giving an early taste of winter that has sparked excitement in the tourism sector and raised hopes for a thriving season ahead.

With snow piling up to over 50 centimeters in certain areas, resorts are gearing up for their official opening in December.

Palandöken Ski Resort in the eastern province of Erzurum, one of the country's top winter sports destinations, is set to launch its season earlier than expected due to the arrival of chilly weather, with teams finalizing preparations for an unforgettable visitor experience.

This year's weddings are expected to contribute 500 billion Turkish Liras ($15.3 billion) to the economy as the season kicks off early this year, a sector representative has said.

With the arrival of spring, ski resorts are overflowing in the last days of the winter tourism season, with visitors who want to take advantage of the last skiing opportunity of the year.

The ski season continues in Uludağ, one of Türkiye's ski tourism hotspots. At the summit, where the snow thickness reaches 40 centimeters, the air temperature is at minus 4 degrees Celsius.

Hoteliers in Türkiye's main ski resorts are optimistic that occupancy rates will be around 100 percent during the school break, which will start on Jan. 19.

Many people are expected to go on vacation during the winter break, which will give a boost to local tourism activity. The country's ski resorts will be one of the main beneficiaries of the short break.

More businesses have decided to join large supermarket chains in freezing prices as consumer inflation started to show signs of slipping last month with officials expecting a downward trend in inflation to continue in the coming months.

The country's eastern provinces have been battling heavy snowfall that has already blocked roads in remote regions, as snow depth exceeds 20 centimeters in the high-altitude sites of Van and Erzurum.

A loan package announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been welcomed by the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) and the Central Union of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen Credit and Bail Cooperatives Unions (TESKOMB).

Thousands of people have mobilized in Turkey after the mid-term break at schools began on Jan. 21, and the country's skiing resorts appear to be one of the main beneficiaries of this two-week-long holiday even though harsh winter conditions, including heavy snow, continue to batter many provinces.