Middle East’s growing popularity for winter sports

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Skiing in the desert might sound absurd, but in the heart of one of Dubai’s busiest shopping destinations, Mall of the Emirates, this adrenaline-pumping pastime has been going strong since 2005.

It’s technically not real snow at Ski Dubai of course, yet this wintry wonderland remains hugely popular with tourists and residents who enjoy speeding down a 1,300-ft-long slope – or indeed tobogganing, bobsledding, ziplining, zorb balling, and hanging out with penguins.

Boasting “fresh” snow all year long, the park is chilled to -24.8 degrees Fahrenheit and has even been named the world’s best indoor ski resort for six years in a row, including this year.

And in a region known for one-upmanship, Saudi Arabia is about to get what’s described as the largest indoor ski slope and snow dome in the world at the massive new Mall of Saudi, currently under construction.

With a reported 40,000 square meter indoor snow slope, the Kingdom will be adding to several other “snow experience” centers, including Snow City in Riyadh.

These unabashedly unsustainable snow-in-the-desert resorts remain controversial due to the eye-watering energy intensity of what are essentially huge refrigerators. But aside from these types of mega-scale artificial venues, the Middle East is working hard to build on its winter sport offering to attract tourists looking for something a bit different.

For serious ski enthusiasts, the spectacular slopes of Lebanon are a particular draw due to scenic mountains covered by the white stuff from December to April.

Although Lebanon’s winter sports season was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, mammoth resorts like Mzaar are back and thriving thanks to recent heavy snowfall and sensible Covid restrictions in place to reassure guests such as masking in busy areas and some social distancing. With 62 miles of terrain, the resort is home to some challenging slopes, while also offering plenty of runs for beginners and intermediate skiers.

For those with a more adventurous spirit, Pakistan in the wider region has several incredible ski resorts and mountain ranges that can compete with anywhere in the world in terms of “wow” factor.

One hidden gem — the Naltar Ski Resort in the Gilgit–Baltistan region in the extreme north of the country — boasts Pakistan’s highest chairlift and hosts major ski, ice hockey and snowboarding competitions. Naltar itself is a picturesque pine-scented village known for its wildlife and magnificent mountain scenery.

Turkey too has bountiful snow in the winter months, notably at Mount Erciyes which is part of a larger ski area that totals around 95 miles. The ski center here has the nearby town of Kayseri which…