Ulaanbaatar
Foreign Tourists Describe Mongolia as Modern, Safe, and Hospitable
Society
Ulaanbaatar, April 16, 2024 /MONTSAME/. To achieve Mongolia’s goal of attracting one million tourists in 2024, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia and the Mongolia Tourism Organization jointly organized the "National Tourism Forum" at the State Palace on April 15, 2024, under the "Tourism Week - 2024." The Forum aimed at solidifying future goals for the tourism industry and fostering inter-sectoral coordination.
B. Zoljargal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mongolia Tourism Organization, stated that when reviewing international media coverage throughout 2023, a positive shift in the perception of Mongolia was evident. In recent times, foreigners have described Mongolia as "modern," "young," "safe," "hospitable," "a digital nation," “a country where sustainable development prevails," and "a rapidly developing country."
During the Forum, participants mentioned that before the pandemic, in 2019, a maximum of 500,000 tourists visited Mongolia, while last year, 650,000 tourists traveled around the country, generating MNT 4.4 trillion in revenue.
Minister of Environment and Tourism Bat-Erdene Bat-Ulzii highlighted, "The revised Law on Tourism has been approved. The tourism industry should actively participate in legal reforms and associated activities to reap the full benefits. For instance, the current law prohibits building tourist camps in forests, but the new generation of tourists desires forest experiences. It would be beneficial if the industry came forward with suggestions to alleviate evolving situations like this. The “Years to Visit Mongolia” initiative will likely extend beyond 2025, potentially reaching 2030. Increased industry participation will ensure officials receive sufficient support from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia."
“It's safe to say that Generation Z is defining the travel market today. Therefore, understanding the new generation's attitude towards the tourism industry is crucial. It is time to focus on what kind of travel the young people choose, what factors they consider when choosing destinations, where they get their travel information from, and how they evaluate that information,” underscored D. Gansukh, Chairman of the Board of the Sustainable Tourism Development Center of Mongolia at the “National Tourism Forum.”
The Forum convened over 880 representatives from the Environment and Tourism Departments of 21 aimags, tourism associations, academics and researchers in the tourism industry, guides and interpreters, as well as enterprises operating in the industry.
