Almaty plans to expand its ski infrastructure. After the project is completed, Shymbulak will be able to accommodate up to 30,000 visitors per day, reports the website infohub.kz.
The Almaty authorities intend to merge the ski resorts Shymbulak and Oi-Qaragai into a single system via the Medeu base station, the city's tourism department announced.
The project includes the construction of 30 new cable cars, 151 kilometers of ski trails, and the modernization of existing infrastructure.
"After the project is implemented, the capacity of the ski system will increase fivefold – from 6,000 to 30,000 visitors per day," the tourism department reported.
At the same time, Almaty is developing a Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Almaty Mountain Cluster until 2029. The document includes 73 measures in seven areas.
"The plan includes the development of mountain infrastructure, the creation of a unified system of ski resorts, the construction of new cable cars, and the development of tourist routes," the department noted.
It is expected that the implementation of the planned projects will nearly double the flow of foreign tourists – from 986,000 to 1.7 million people. In addition, the number of people employed in the tourism industry is projected to rise to 101,800.