Yes, you read that right. According to The World Snowboard Guide, Bolivian tourism officials are in the planning process of creating a new ski resort on Mount Mururata after its only other ski area, Chacaltaya has been closed for some time now. During the modern tourism age, Bolivia has always fallen behind Peru and Chile regarding tourism and Bolivians hope the new resort will bring an influx of much-needed tourism capital into their developing country.
Even though it contains majestic mountains, rivers, and unspoiled wilderness, Bolivia has problems with infrastructure and 53% of the country’s population remains impoverished.
The planned resort will be located 35km to the east of the Bolivian capital, La Paz.
The former ski area on Chacaltaya housed South America’s very first rope tow and was at the time, the highest ski area in the world and second closest to the equator after Maoke, Indonesia.
The tourism strategy, which is part of an $800 million campaign, hopes to push Bolivia from being ranked 141 on World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index to the 100th spot.
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Read the entire World Snowboard Guide article here: Bolivia To Develop New Ski Resort!