Tsedevdamba Oyungerel, Mongolia’s Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, discusses her ministry’s goals for the tourism sector.
European Times: What are your ministry’s current priorities?
Tsedevdamba Oyungerel: We are drafting a new tourism law to change the regulatory environment for the tourism sector. This will develop a clear strategy for tourism development as well as establish regulations which will protect investments and the environment, and it will give local councils the authority to plan local tourism developments. We are also working to make the Mongolian people aware of the benefits of tourism. Another of the ministry’s goals is to redefine the image of Mongolia. People do not realise that Ulaanbaatar is a modern city, for example. Mongolia is rich in natural beauty, history and archaeology. We have thousands of historic sites as well as opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, ecotourism, religious tourism and more.
European Times: What kinds of tourism investments are you looking for?
Tsedevdamba Oyungerel: Mongolia has great potential for winter tourism and we are looking for investors who can establish environmentally friendly winter-tourism facilities. We also need investment in improving tourism infrastructure, particularly concerning waste management. We need to improve our infrastructure before we can welcome huge numbers of tourism visitors, and the government of Mongolia is ready to partner with investors who can help us reach these goals.
European Times: What are the challenges facing the tourism sector?
Tsedevdamba Oyungerel: A current challenge is the lack of a proper local planning for tourism development. We need zoning laws and rules. We do not want to destroy our tourism potential through uncontrolled construction and development. Unregulated investment is bad for tourism.
European Times: What are some positive examples of recent developments in the tourism sector?
Tsedevdamba Oyungerel: With the support of the Netherlands, 11 Mongolian tourism companies are promoting their services to the European market. One example is DMD, a Mongolian ecotourism company, which lets visitors experience the nomadic lifestyle in a very environmentally friendly way. Another project is a rural tourism facility fully staffed by locals; it is ideal for observing bird and animal life and it also benefits the local community. We want to showcase Mongolia’s nomadic culture, which involves close ties to the natural world. Our goal is to make sure that Mongolia’s tourism sector brings benefits for visitors and locals alike and that our tourism development goes hand-in-hand with protecting our natural and cultural heritage.
