Erciyes to rival the Alps as winter tourism center

The Kayseri municipality has embarked on an ambitious project to convert Turkey's Mount Erciyes into the world's second leading winter tourism center after the European Alps. With a 280 million Euro investment, the "Kayseri Tourism Master Plan" aims to attract tourists for a full 12 months of the year. The money will go toward the building of ski lifts, snow machines, ski slopes, and hotels. The project is expected to be completed by 2014. "When the project is completed, we will provide employment opportunities to 3,000-4,000 people. Our ski slopes will be 160 kilometers in length, the second longest in the world after the Alps," said Kayseri Mayor Mehment Ozhaseki, who expects the winter tourism center to bring in 200 million Euros in revenue per year. The Kayseri municipality has thus far spent $100 million and has completed the preliminary infrastructure. 45 kilometers of ski slopes are currently up and running.  Erciyes will provide five months of winter tourism. For the remaining seven months the Mayor said there were plans to attract tourists, such as a camp for soccer teams and congress facilities. The Kayseri Municipality's "Kayseri Tourism Master Plan" was conceived in 2005 and consists of three separate stages.