Ordu to attract more tourists as summer sledding destination

ORDU – Anadolu Agency

The Black Sea province of Ordu has set out to attract more tourists by diversifying the activities it offers during the summer months, as it prepares to introduce summer sledding at the newly-built Çambaşı ski resort. 

“The summer sledding project will increase the appeal of the Çambaşı highland, as well as Ordu [province] and the Black Sea [region], in general,” Yener Kaya, the mayor of Ordu’s Kabadüz district, which is home to the Çambaşı highland, told Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency. 

“The Çambaşı highland will emerge as a major tourist attraction both during winter and summer months,” he added, as the highland is currently frequented by tourists over the winter, but remains relatively quiet during warmer months. 

Kaya said the feasibility analysis of the project has been completed, as a team of Austrian experts studied the region and provided a positive opinion. The details of the project will emerge very soon, the mayor said, expressing hopes that it would help Ordu evolve into a summer tourism destination as well. 

The mayor underlined that the Çambaşı highland is one of the most popular tourist destinations, especially since Arab tourists grew interested in the region. Accordingly, the project is part of efforts to better advertise the region.

“İnşallah [God willing], the tourists who go to the Çambaşı highlands over the winter will from now on be able to spend a good time there over the summer as well,” he stated. 

Summer sledding is a leisurely trip on an elevated track that takes passengers down from the top of a mountain or highlands and provides refreshing scenery of the surroundings. 

The move comes amid a flock of Arab tourists and investors to the region, as recent reports suggested that people from Arab countries have bought properties worth a total of $50 million over the first half of 2015.

An airport was also opened in the region in May 2015, located on an artificial island off Ordu, which cost around 360 million Turkish Liras ($132.6 million).