Tourism

Mongolia’s tourism industry has blossomed under a laissez-faire regime that allows private ownership and operation of facilities and tour companies. Leisure tourists, who number approximately 90,000 annually, visit the Central Asian countries for its unspoiled natural beauty and unique cultural attractions. Traditional tourists make up only a small fraction of those who visit Mongolia every year, with the rest being shuttle traders, although they still use facilities such as hotels and restaurants. One challenge is fighting the seasonality of the market, given the extreme winters Mongolia experiences. The government is looking to promote winter experiences such as the Eagle Festival and the Ice Festival. This section has an interview with L. Gansukh, Former Minister of Environment and Tourism.