The Eurasian Mountain Resorts Alliance, which brings together leading resorts of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia, traditionally presented its most notable updates and achievements at the Tashkent International Tourism Fair – TITF.
It should be recalled that the Eurasian Mountain Resorts Alliance currently unites five mountain resorts: Uzbekistan’s Amirsoy, Azerbaijan’s Shahdag, Russia’s Rosa Khutor, and Kazakhstan’s Shymbulak and Oi-Qarağai. A memorandum has also been signed providing for the accession of the Mona YongPyong resort from South Korea to the alliance.
At a special press conference held as part of TITF 2025, the Alliance announced for the first time that it is launching a cooperation initiative with Grandvalira Resorts, a popular European network of mountain resorts in Andorra. An agreement was reached under which holders of seasonal ski passes (electronic passes granting access to ski lifts) from the Eurasian Alliance’s mountain resorts will be able to ski free of charge for five days at resorts within the Grandvalira Resorts network. Holders of similar ski passes from Andorra will likewise be entitled to several days of free skiing at Eurasian Mountain Resorts Alliance resorts in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Russia. Participants in the seasonal pass exchange program will not need to visit ticket offices or wait in line – they will receive free access with their own plastic cards. All technical solutions will be coordinated within the unified access system provided by Axess.
Holders of the Alliance’s resort passes will also gain the opportunity in the new season to ski free of charge at any resort within the alliance, provided they stay in recommended hotels. For example, a holder of a seasonal ski pass from Azerbaijan’s Shahdag resort will be able to ski for free at Uzbekistan’s Amirsoy resort for as many days as they stay in one of its hotels. The Alliance expects that this opportunity will encourage pass holders to visit other Alliance resorts more actively and significantly broaden the geography of their travel, laying the foundation for the creation of an Interstate Tourist Route.
At the press conference, Alliance representatives also presented upcoming events planned for the 2025/2026 winter season. The largest of these is expected to be the next, third Mountain Resorts Festival. Following previous editions in Sochi and Baku, the festival will be hosted by Kazakhstan’s southern capital, Almaty, from 23 to 27 February 2026. Numerous events will take place simultaneously at two of Kazakhstan’s major resorts – Shymbulak and Oi-Qarağai.
The main event will be the Eurasian Mountain Tourism Development Forum, which will bring together about 100 international experts, representatives of the resort business, state tourism agencies, environmental specialists, and journalists.
Within the framework of the festival, competitions of the Second Open CIS Championship among instructors in winter disciplines, including the spectacular parallel slalom, will be held in cooperation with the National League of Instructors (Russian Federation). The program will also include free masterclasses in alpine skiing and snowboarding led by the Alliance’s best instructors, educational sessions for mountain resort employees, professional discussions on current issues in resort operations, and a festival of national dishes and a folklore show.
Representatives of the alliance informed journalists about joint efforts to improve safety on ski slopes, the latest IT solutions to minimize queues at lifts and congestion on the runs, and the most attractive offers from each resort for the upcoming 2025/26 winter season.
The Rosa Khutor resort, a vivid example of the development of Olympic legacy, continues to evolve. During the 2025 summer season, it welcomed more than 1 million visitors, and hotel occupancy exceeded 75 percent, 5 percent higher than last year’s figure. In the upcoming season, the resort plans to provide guests with a maximally comfortable and safe skiing experience across 105 kilometers of slopes, 52 runs of all difficulty levels, comprising the largest ski area in Russia. Beginning 1 December, the winter season for mountain hiking will open at Rosa Khutor, followed by the launch of ski runs on 19 December.
The current development strategy for the Shymbulak mountain resort is aimed at entering the premium segment, improving and expanding infrastructure in line with global quality standards, and enhancing customer service. Key initiatives include the creation of the Shymbulak ski village, the opening of five-star hotels from international chains, and the opening of premium restaurants. In the new season, the resort will continue improving service quality, safety, and internal processes with the support of specialists from the international company PGI Management. A snow park for beginner freestyle skiers and snowboarders will be introduced to help develop these disciplines. In line with the Government of Kazakhstan’s plan, the expansion of slopes and cableways is envisaged to integrate the infrastructure of Almaty’s two leading mountain resorts – Shymbulak and Oi-Qarağai. The latter, incidentally, is opening an entirely new area for guests – the Aktas Plateau. Six new ski slopes will be opened, an artificial snowmaking system has been installed, and both a 10-seat gondola lift and a 6-seat chairlift are already in operation. Comfortable glamping sites with panoramic views, a restaurant complex with apartments, a ballroom, a conference hall, and a bar will soon appear here. Hiking infrastructure is also being developed: trail navigation has been improved for guests’ convenience, and new points of interest have been created – scenic viewpoints, a suspension bridge, and a wooden trail.
As for the Amirsoy resort, it has evolved from just a mountain destination into a modern recreational ecosystem. The resort operates year-round, develops its infrastructure according to international standards, and sees its mission in strengthening the region’s tourism potential. New partnerships and long-term projects are making it a key driver of growth in mountain tourism. One of the most significant upcoming events is the Asian Alpine Ski Championships for children, organized jointly with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), scheduled for March 2026. This will be the first competition of such scale in Uzbekistan’s history. The resort takes particular pride in the fact that its infrastructure has gained international recognition and is capable of hosting events of this level. A multi-level safety system, trained personnel, and modern response protocols are in place. Equipment, slopes, and infrastructure are regularly modernized.
In parallel, Amirsoy is strengthening its family-oriented segment by expanding activities for the green season. Beginning this summer, a new outdoor swimming pool and comfortable recreation areas will start operating, allowing families to stay longer at the resort and enjoy a more diverse range of leisure options.
The Shahdag mountain resort continues to reinforce its position as the region’s leading winter destination and has introduced several significant updates for the new season. Its technical infrastructure has been expanded: the number of snow guns has increased to 600, and the network of slopes has grown from 35 to 45 kilometers. The resort has also opened 1 new blue, 2 red, and 2 black slopes, making skiing more diverse and accessible for all levels. Among the key new features is the launch of the Lakeside Hotel, offering 122 modern rooms, a spa center, a gym, 3D skiing simulators, and direct access to a gondola lift.
An important milestone was the creation of Azerbaijan’s first FIS-certified stadium meeting international standards for hosting competitions in all major disciplines. The stadium is equipped with professional lighting, an artificial snowmaking system, VIP boxes, and a restaurant, enabling training sessions and events of global caliber.
Nasiba Ziyodullayeva, UzA