Mount Erciyes

Following Jan. 28's heavy snowfall in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri, home to one of Türkiye's leading ski resorts, thousands of local and foreign tourists have flocked to Erciyes district.

The snow thickness reached up to 60 centimeters, while thousands wishing to ski got to Erciyes in no time flat.

Tourists formed long queues to get on a cable car.

While snowfall is yet to begin, people have already started booking hotels in Turkey's ski resorts for the winter season, with many of these venues enjoying a heavy inflow.

Sultan Marshes, located at the skirts of Mount Erciyes, welcomes its visitors with its magnificent reeds - exceeding human height, and calming sounds of different bird species. (AA Photo)

Mountaineers, accompanied by professional guides, climb Mount Erciyes within the last day of the 11th Erciyes Winter Climbing, in Kayseri, Turkey on February 14. (AA Photo)

Snow depth in Turkey remained lower this winter season than past years, data from the General Directorate of Meteorology showed on Feb. 2. 

According to records accessed by Anadolu Agency, snow depth in Turkey was usually found to be around the average human height, which is 180 centimeters (5 feet 9 inches) for men and 160 centimeters (5 feet 2 inches) for women.

The Erciyes Ski Resort in central Turkey will be included in the prestigious European Destinations of Excellence Network (EDEN) for sustainable tourism.

The resort in Kayseri province was among the top five destinations from the 30 entries from Turkey, according to a statement from the local municipality on Jan. 13. 

The Erciyes Ski Resort in central Turkey was certified by Bureau Veritas, a company specialized in testing, inspection and certification, for having taken all precautionary measures against the spread of coronavirus.

The officials are expecting a tourism boom in more than 50 ski resorts in Turkey in the new year despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as people have started booking resorts with a 4-day stay, including the weekend.

Kayseri Airport being a scant hour-and-a-half from Istanbul by airplane, flying is the most practical way of getting there. The biggest city in the entire Cappadocia Valley, Kayseri sits smack dab on the cusp between the Central Anatolia steppe and the Eastern Anatolian Plateau, which boasts the highest mountains in Turkey.

The acting director general at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Cagatay Erciyes, has posted a comment on Twitter challenging Greece's sovereign rights, with an attached photo indicating the Greek island of Kastellorizo.