Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Today, February 25, Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene together with five Cabinet Ministers held a meeting with representatives of tourism industry, discussing pressing issues and exchanged views on how to resume operations of the sector.

During the meeting, representatives put proposals to the Cabinet Head to announce the definite period when the country’s border will be re-opened as well as to renew regulations to be adhered to operations. In response, PM L.Oyun-Erdene said “The issue related to re-opening of the country’s border from May 1 will be studied and discussed at the Cabinet meeting next week. The decision will depend on how well the citizens will adhere to infection protection regime and get vaccinated. We planned to vaccinate over 50 percent of entire population in a very short period of time. As the situation is unpredictable, I cannot give a promise, but the Government will do its best for it."

At the meeting, representatives of entities and associations operating in the industry expressed their positions and presented the situation created by the pandemic.

President of the Mongolian Restaurant Association M.Yesunmunkh said “The tourism industry brought income of MNT 1.6 trillion or USD 607 million to Mongolia in 2019. It makes up 7.2 percent of gross domestic product. The figure stands at 30-35 percent in countries where tourism has developed. Mongolia welcomed 577 thousand tourists in 2019. While the industry’s income went down by 65.8 percent in 2020. A total of 2,300 entities are operating in tourism sector and 88,700 people or 6.7 percent of Mongolia’s total work force are employed in the sector.”

Board Member of the Mongolian Tourism Association B.Barsbold said that 570 tour operator companies ran their operations in 2019, earning USD 240 million of income. Unfortunately, 98 percent of the sector’s operation halted in 2018 due to the pandemic, leading 49 percent of total workers to be unemployed. Workplace for the rest is at risk as well. To revive the tourism sector there are necessities to re-open the country's border in the nearest future, provide financial support, increase civil aviation capacity and to give support from the Government on strengthening marketing service and human resource capacity.

At the end of the meeting, PM L.Oyun-Erdene said the Government will render support in five directions, taking into consideration the issues raised at the meeting. These include:

To provide financial support to overcome the difficulties of COVID-19

To make liberalization in air transport sector

To study and resolve the proposal to re-open border from May 1 of this year

To digitize visa service and create legal environment to operate digital consul

To collaborate on implementing integrated marketing at the sectorial level