Ardahan, a province in northeastern Turkey, is one of the least developed regions in the country, particularly affected by the global economic crisis of 2008. With an economy based mainly on agriculture, limited economic opportunities have been developed since the population has decreased significantly. However, its natural landscapes and climate conditions make it highly suitable for mountain tourism, which creates important socio-economic development opportunities for the entire community. One important foundation for tourism is already anchored in the region: Great hospitality.
With the purpose to contribute to the social and economic development of the province, we have started an important project aiming at improving the competitiveness of Ardahan’s winter tourism industry. Alliances for Culture Tourism in Eastem Anatolia Joint Programme, the millennium development achievement fund and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Turkey have funded the initiative in cooperation with international partners such as UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP and UNWTO. The Governorship of Ardahan, the City Council and local tourism businesses have also supported the project. We want to thank all for the opportunity to start this important and challenging endeavor.
Conducting desk research, stakeholder consultations, gathering relevant data and identifying the priority promotional activities will be crucial to develop promotion strategies and action plans in order to produce a master plan for the province. Ardahan has unique characteristics for high quality skiing between November and April as well as a broad range of mountain activities in summer and winter. Being mountain lovers at ATC, we are looking forward to implementing this great project!
Project: Improvement of Winter Tourism Infrastructure in Yalnızçam, Ardahan
This project is co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Turkey
