Uludağ

Uludağ, one of Türkiye's important winter tourism centers, has started to receive an influx of tourists as mid-term break started for 20 million students across the country.

Holidaymakers rushed to Uludağ after the first ski resorts opened to the public in the northwestern province of Bursa, indulging in skiing activities all day long despite fog.

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.

As the countdown for New Year's Eve begins, hotels in the northwestern province of Bursa's Uludağ, a popular winter tourism destination, are gearing up for the festivities.

A one-night stay, including entertainment, is estimated to cost between 8,000 and 10,000 Turkish Liras ($275-345) per person.

Schools in Türkiye will start a two-week half-year term break on Jan. 20, with students and families eagerly awaiting the chance for travel and tourism professionals expecting a good inflow of tourists this year.

Cultural tours, thermal facilities and Turkish Cyprus are among the most popular routes for holidaymakers at a time when ski resorts lack snow globally.

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.

Turkey wants to generate $22 billion from tourism in 2021 by welcoming more than 28 million foreigners, its culture and tourism minister said on Nov. 24. 

The rate of residential areas and bare rocks in Turkey's Mount Uludağ National Park has increased from around seven percent to 13 percent in the last three decades, according to a study.

A church dating back 1,600 years, built by the first Christian community, has been found in the ancient city of Priene in the western province of Aydın's Söke district.

Turkey is following future technologies closely, with roadmaps for areas such as artificial intelligence, health, and 5G now ready, the industry and technology minister said on March 25. 

After parties ignoring COVID-19 restrictions stirred a debate on social media, gendarmerie teams imposed a fine of 85,000 Liras on entertainment venues in Mount Uludağ, a well-known winter tourist attraction and a center of nature sports in the northwestern province of Bursa.