Tourism Without Borders: Turkic Mountain Resorts Unite
Uzbekistan
Ski tourism across the Turkic world is entering a new era as leading resorts from Uzbekistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan launch a unified loyalty card, bonus system, and digital platform, offering travelers access to shared discounts, subscriptions, and tailored packages across member resorts.
From July 11 to 13, 2025, the first summit of the Union of Mountain Resorts of Turkic States was held at Shahdag in Azerbaijan. Participating resorts included Shymbulak (Kazakhstan), Uludag (Turkey), Amirsoy (Uzbekistan), and the host, Shahdag.
The key outcome of the summit was the creation of a single loyalty card that will offer tourists benefits such as discounts, bonuses, and personalized offers valid across all member resorts. A season pass valid at all locations will also be introduced.
This card will be integrated into a digital platform, which includes both a B2C module—with detailed tourist information, prices, tours, and promotions—and a B2B module to support tour operators and travel agencies. A prototype of the platform is already in use at Turkish resorts.
“Tourists will be able to travel between member resorts under unified conditions, enjoy shared bonuses, and benefit from cross-resort recognition of season passes,” said Shymbulak CEO Rinat Abdrakhmanov.
Shymbulak also proposed creating a joint training academy in partnership with German company Pisten Bully, aimed at training snowcat operators and technical staff across Central Asia. Discussions also included staff exchange programs and forming a shared talent pool.
The Union was founded through an initiative by Shahdag and Shymbulak, with support from the Organization of Turkic States. Uludag and Amirsoy joined the alliance from the outset, confirming their commitment to building a shared tourism space.
Special attention at the summit was given to Almaty, the largest transport and tourism hub in the region. In 2024, the city welcomed over 150,000 international guests, with significant growth from India and China, underscoring its role as a key launchpad for expanding mountain tourism.
The key outcome of the summit was the creation of a single loyalty card that will offer tourists benefits such as discounts, bonuses, and personalized offers valid across all member resorts. A season pass valid at all locations will also be introduced.
This card will be integrated into a digital platform, which includes both a B2C module—with detailed tourist information, prices, tours, and promotions—and a B2B module to support tour operators and travel agencies. A prototype of the platform is already in use at Turkish resorts.
“Tourists will be able to travel between member resorts under unified conditions, enjoy shared bonuses, and benefit from cross-resort recognition of season passes,” said Shymbulak CEO Rinat Abdrakhmanov.
Shymbulak also proposed creating a joint training academy in partnership with German company Pisten Bully, aimed at training snowcat operators and technical staff across Central Asia. Discussions also included staff exchange programs and forming a shared talent pool.
The Union was founded through an initiative by Shahdag and Shymbulak, with support from the Organization of Turkic States. Uludag and Amirsoy joined the alliance from the outset, confirming their commitment to building a shared tourism space.
Special attention at the summit was given to Almaty, the largest transport and tourism hub in the region. In 2024, the city welcomed over 150,000 international guests, with significant growth from India and China, underscoring its role as a key launchpad for expanding mountain tourism.
Powered by Froala Editor