|
 |
PALANDOKEN.. NOMINEE FOR TOP SKI RESORT..
Palandöken, a ski resort in Erzurum, has been taking strong steps on the path to becoming one of the world's top ski resorts, receiving more than $350 million in investments since 2007. Erzurum, in eastern Anatolia, was chosen to host the Winter Universiade 2011 and has been busy developing Palandöken.
 Kategori |
: TOURISM |
 Yorum Sayısı |
: 0 |
 Okunma |
: 1672 |
 Tarih |
: 29.12.2009 |
N
Palandöken, a ski resort in Erzurum, has been taking strong steps on the path to becoming one of the world's top ski resorts, receiving more than $350 million in investments since 2007. Erzurum, in eastern Anatolia, was chosen to host the Winter Universiade 2011 and has been busy developing Palandöken.
Nearly 70 percent of all projects planned for the Universiade, a multi-sport tournament organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation, have been completed, according to Turkish Ski Federation President Özer Ayık.
Among the many new facilities established in various locations on Palandöken Mountain, a 3,271-meter high mountain, are half-pipe and slope-style ramps, a 24,000-square meter games village, six ski lifts, and skiing and snowboarding ramps.
Ramps for cross-country skiing and biathlons, a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, are also under construction. An ice rink with a spectator capacity of 3,000 and 500-person capacity ice hockey rinks are also being built.
Five ski jumping towers have also been erected. Meanwhile, construction of a rink for curling – a team game with similarities to lawn bowling and shuffleboard yet played on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice by two teams of four players each – is also nearing completion.
Artificial snow makers are a must for all ski resorts, according to Ayık. "We signed a deal with an Italian firm. The machines will enable us to produce snow to cover a 25-hectare area in Palandöken and a 55-hectare area in Konaklı. With these machines, we are hoping to be able to open the ski season at the latest by November." This year the season opened on Dec. 15.
The 12-day Universiade is expected to bring 1,500 skiers, technical staff and trainers. Including press and supporters, that figure is expected to reach roughly 3,000 people, Ayık said.
The city does not expect to obtain much income from the event. "It is not all about the money. Holding such a tournament will put Palandöken's name out there and will help it gain recognition and prestige," said Ayık during a press conference at the resort’s Dedeman Ski Lodge on Tuesday.
"The Universiade is not the goal here. It is a medium. Following events in 2011, we aim to host many other [competitions] in our town," he said. "We know we are eligible to host many other international events at our ski resort."
Ayık said there were 62 million people throughout the world interested in skiing. “Some 32 percent of those live in Europe. Each and every one of those people will someday come to Palandöken," Ayık said.
"Currently we do not have a big enough bed capacity, but we are working on increasing that. The bed capacity of Turkey's ski resorts is 15,000 – 6,000 to 7,000 of that is on Uludağ [in Bursa]. France’s ski resort bed capacity stands at 15 million, so we have a long way to go," he said.
Palandöken is being transformed so that 25,000 people can ski on its slopes at once. Ayık said his team had turned the resort into one of the five hottest ski locations in the world in the past two years.
"Dedeman Hotels and Resorts International has had a huge hand in our success," Ayık said. Its two hotels, Dedeman Palandöken and Dedeman Ski Lodge, were the first ski investors in the area.
When Murat Dedeman, who has been serving as Dedeman Holding chairman since 1992, decided to invest in Palandöken, it was mainly due to his fascination with Anatolia and skiing, according to Dedeman Hotels and Resorts International Regional Manager Hasan Hastürk.
"This organization is all about helping Palandöken claim what is rightfully its. We are currently operating two hotels here. We value Erzurum, and we believe in it," Hastürk said. "Dedeman is a brand. Its existence in Palandöken has helped the area on its path to become a brand itself."
Increasing publicity of Palandöken on both domestic and international platforms is important, according to Hastürk. "We were the first to manage the mountain’s first hotel,” he said. “We also handled the construction of the mountain’s first lift with a build-operate-transfer model.”
"Regional publicity is a must: Without that, the hotels cannot work at full capacity on their own. People have to hear what is going on in Palandöken," Hastürk said.
In 2010, Dedeman is hoping to be free of last year's worries. "We expect an occupancy rate of 60 to 65 percent in Palandöken," said Dedeman Palandöken General Manager Nuri Avşerer on Wednesday.
The artificial snow maker is expected to arrive in October 2010, he said. "This could enable us to extend the winter season from 100 days to 150 days, which could be quite beneficial."
"When you only work 100 out of 365 days a year, you have to compensate for your seasonal losses,” he said. “The money you make in those 100 days has to cover the earnings of 365 days."
Both hotels are completely booked for the New Year, Avşerer said. "Some 60 percent of our guests are foreigners, while 40 percent are local visitors."
"Here, everything depends on the snow," Hastürk said. “Last year there was no snow and that significantly hurt business. Our ski lodge is open all year around. But the same does not go for our hotel up the mountain. The lack of snow was a real handicap for us."
December 25, 2009
SOURCE: Hürriyet Daily News
Nearly 70 percent of all projects planned for the Universiade, a multi-sport tournament organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation, have been completed, according to Turkish Ski Federation President Özer Ayık.
Among the many new facilities established in various locations on Palandöken Mountain, a 3,271-meter high mountain, are half-pipe and slope-style ramps, a 24,000-square meter games village, six ski lifts, and skiing and snowboarding ramps.
Ramps for cross-country skiing and biathlons, a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, are also under construction. An ice rink with a spectator capacity of 3,000 and 500-person capacity ice hockey rinks are also being built.
Five ski jumping towers have also been erected. Meanwhile, construction of a rink for curling – a team game with similarities to lawn bowling and shuffleboard yet played on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice by two teams of four players each – is also nearing completion.
Artificial snow makers are a must for all ski resorts, according to Ayık. "We signed a deal with an Italian firm. The machines will enable us to produce snow to cover a 25-hectare area in Palandöken and a 55-hectare area in Konaklı. With these machines, we are hoping to be able to open the ski season at the latest by November." This year the season opened on Dec. 15.
The 12-day Universiade is expected to bring 1,500 skiers, technical staff and trainers. Including press and supporters, that figure is expected to reach roughly 3,000 people, Ayık said.
The city does not expect to obtain much income from the event. "It is not all about the money. Holding such a tournament will put Palandöken's name out there and will help it gain recognition and prestige," said Ayık during a press conference at the resort’s Dedeman Ski Lodge on Tuesday.
"The Universiade is not the goal here. It is a medium. Following events in 2011, we aim to host many other [competitions] in our town," he said. "We know we are eligible to host many other international events at our ski resort."
Ayık said there were 62 million people throughout the world interested in skiing. “Some 32 percent of those live in Europe. Each and every one of those people will someday come to Palandöken," Ayık said.
"Currently we do not have a big enough bed capacity, but we are working on increasing that. The bed capacity of Turkey's ski resorts is 15,000 – 6,000 to 7,000 of that is on Uludağ [in Bursa]. France’s ski resort bed capacity stands at 15 million, so we have a long way to go," he said.
Palandöken is being transformed so that 25,000 people can ski on its slopes at once. Ayık said his team had turned the resort into one of the five hottest ski locations in the world in the past two years.
"Dedeman Hotels and Resorts International has had a huge hand in our success," Ayık said. Its two hotels, Dedeman Palandöken and Dedeman Ski Lodge, were the first ski investors in the area.
When Murat Dedeman, who has been serving as Dedeman Holding chairman since 1992, decided to invest in Palandöken, it was mainly due to his fascination with Anatolia and skiing, according to Dedeman Hotels and Resorts International Regional Manager Hasan Hastürk.
"This organization is all about helping Palandöken claim what is rightfully its. We are currently operating two hotels here. We value Erzurum, and we believe in it," Hastürk said. "Dedeman is a brand. Its existence in Palandöken has helped the area on its path to become a brand itself."
Increasing publicity of Palandöken on both domestic and international platforms is important, according to Hastürk. "We were the first to manage the mountain’s first hotel,” he said. “We also handled the construction of the mountain’s first lift with a build-operate-transfer model.”
"Regional publicity is a must: Without that, the hotels cannot work at full capacity on their own. People have to hear what is going on in Palandöken," Hastürk said.
In 2010, Dedeman is hoping to be free of last year's worries. "We expect an occupancy rate of 60 to 65 percent in Palandöken," said Dedeman Palandöken General Manager Nuri Avşerer on Wednesday.
The artificial snow maker is expected to arrive in October 2010, he said. "This could enable us to extend the winter season from 100 days to 150 days, which could be quite beneficial."
"When you only work 100 out of 365 days a year, you have to compensate for your seasonal losses,” he said. “The money you make in those 100 days has to cover the earnings of 365 days."
Both hotels are completely booked for the New Year, Avşerer said. "Some 60 percent of our guests are foreigners, while 40 percent are local visitors."
"Here, everything depends on the snow," Hastürk said. “Last year there was no snow and that significantly hurt business. Our ski lodge is open all year around. But the same does not go for our hotel up the mountain. The lack of snow was a real handicap for us."
December 25, 2009
SOURCE: Hürriyet Daily News
|
Yazdrlabilir Sayfa | 
Word'e Aktar | 
Tavsiye Et
| 
Yorum Yaz
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
En Çok Okunan Haberler
- AŞIK VEYSEL ŞATIROĞLU'NUN YAŞAMI ESERLERİ
- İNGİLİZCE ÖĞRENMENİN YOLU NEDİR?
- VERTIGO VE TEDAVI YONTEMLERI
- İSTİKLAL ŞAİRİ MEHMET AKİF ERSOY,KABRİ BAŞINDA ANILDI
- YUNUS EMRE... YASAMI.. ESERLERI..
- ZIFAF (GERDEK) GECESI VE BILMENIZ GEREKENLER
- KUSADASI : LIMANI VE KIYILARI ILE UNLU
- ERKEGIN ILGISINI CEKMENIN YOLLARI...
- INGILIZCEDE ZAMAN KARMASASI : PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE
- ALDATICI REKLAM KAMPANYALARI VE VODAFONE 3G MODEM..
TOURISM Haberleri
- CAPPADOCIA AT GERMAN TOURISM SHOW
- VISIT KALKAN FOR MORE THAN SUN & SEA
- INEBOLU'S CULTURE AND ART FESTIVAL
- NORTH CYPRUS, UNSPOILED NATURAL BEAUTY
- MORE BLUE FLAGS...
- THE LARGEST MEETING POINT FOR TRAVEL...
- INTRODUCUNG EGYPT AS THE NEW
- ISRAELI TOURISTS OPT FOR TURKEY DESPITE THAW
- PALANDOKEN.. NOMINEE FOR TOP SKI RESORT..
- PARAGLIDING IN TURKEY ..
TÜRKIYE'NIN HABER VE KÜLTÜR PORTALI
RSS Kaynağı | Yazar Girişi