The Oi-Qaragai resort opened a new ski area in Aqtas, Kazakhstan, making a significant step in the country’s development of winter tourism. Axess has installed a range of access gates, vending machines, point-of-sale systems, software resort solutions, and parking facilities to ensure a seamless customer experience. 

Growth begins with new ski areas and facilities

Oi-Qaragai is an all-season family and mountain resort in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Spanning over 110 hectares, the resort offers a wide range of leisure and cultural activities suitable for all ages, a blend of accommodations, and diverse dining options. The resort is expanding in Aqtas, including the opening of a new ski area, with further growth planned in the coming years. This involves the construction of additional lifts and the opening of new slopes. The ski area has already increased from 18 km to 50 km, with plans to reach 70 km by 2028. New restaurants, hotels, and entertainment facilities have also been added, enhancing the resort’s appeal to winter sports enthusiasts and tourists. 

Customized rental and locker solutions 

Before heading to the gondola lift to Aqtas, guests can stop by the rental shop, where the flexible and modular Axess RESORT RENTAL software has been implemented for sports equipment rental, allowing also store employees to access all necessary customer data and view the rental store's inventory in real time. Customers can select their equipment at the Axess WEBSTORE online, per self-service at the RESORT RENTAL CHECK IN PANEL or with the assistance of a store consultant directly at the RESORT RENTAL TECH DESK, quickly and conveniently receiving their rented equipment. In addition, Axess SMART POS systems are implemented on the TECH DESK for the payment of rental fees and sales of store products.

Furthermore, to ensure customers' ski equipment and personal items are kept safe and dry, the resort has installed over 453 new storage lockers at the main building of Gondola Bottom station Aqtas, equipped with Axess RESORT LOCKER SERVICE PANEL. This intuitive self-service station allows guests to easily manage and locate their lockers by themselves, including extending and removing authorizations. Lockers can also be booked when purchasing a ticket online or at the Axess SMART POS, with the ticket also acting as the locker key.

Enhancing sales and service with Axess POS and ticket systems

The installation of multiple Axess SMART POS systems enhances sales, alongside several Axess TICKET FRAME 600 for easy single-ticket purchases and card reloading. Additionally, some Axess TICKET KIOSK 600 acts as a full-service checkout system, enabling guests to buy tickets, retrieve online tickets, and recharge cards.

Efficient guest passage with advanced gate systems

Given the high visitor numbers and peak hours, the resort has installed on the lifts numerous gates with Axess FLAP 600 and Axess FLAP 600 ADA modules, ensuring safe and efficient passage with customizable opening and closing speeds. Furthermore, 10 AX500 Smart Gate NG - Turnstile have been placed for hands-free ticket checks. 

User-friendly parking management

Featuring fast and cost-effective issuance and process of barcoded parking tickets, along with a barrier opening time of just 1.3 seconds, several Axess PARKING hardware systems (ticket column & gate) have been installed for quick and smooth entry and exit from the site. Additionally, thanks to Axess PAY MOBILE, have guests can securely pay the parking fee via mobile phone on the way back to the vehicle, saving time and effort.

Previous experience with Oi-Qaragai 

In 2020, Oi-Qaragai decided to renew access and service systems at its ski resort Lesnaya Skazka in Almaty, Kazakhstan, for its 10th anniversary. Key installations included:

•    Several Axess PICK UP BOX 600 for contactless, self-service ticket printing.
•    49 AX500 Smart Gates NG for touchless lift access using RFID technology.
•    16 Axess SMART PAD 600 and 13 Axess SMART PRINTER 600 for efficient data management and ticket processing.
•    Axess CONNECT CRM to enhance customer relationships through centralized data and gamification for engagement.
•    Axess RESORT RENTAL for streamlined ski equipment rentals and centralized data management.
•    Axess SMART POS for easy booking of ski lessons, with push notifications for schedule changes.

A strong signal for the future of winter tourism

With the expansion in Aqtas and the broad technical solutions provided by Axess, the Oi-Qaragai Resort is setting new standards for winter tourism in Kazakhstan. The combination of state-of-the-art infrastructure, well-designed services, and a seamless guest experience makes the resort a flagship project in the region. That Axess was once again chosen to equip the new ski area speaks to the strength of the long-standing partnership and the trust that has grown over years. Together, Oi-Qaragai and Axess are paving the way for continued growth and a strong competitive edge.