Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj said Monday that his
country will make more efforts to develop the tourism industry.

Elbegdorj made the remarks at a meeting with visiting Secretary-General Taleb
Rifai of the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations.

Elbegdorj said Mongolia has rich and diverse tourism resources characterized by
extraordinary natural landscapes, abundant historical heritage as well as
unique ethnic customs.

The upcoming new government would not only develop Mongolia”s mining industry,
but also make more efforts to boost the tourism sector as well as related
infrastructure, the president added.

Rifai highlighted the key role played by tourism in creating jobs and promoting
economic development, saying the total number of tourists around the world had
reached 1 billion at present and one out of 10 job places were created by the
tourism industry.

He said Mongolia has great potential in developing ecological tourism.

Mongolia owns many unspoiled landscapes and unique ethnic customs, such as the
fossil fields in the Gobi Desert, the beautiful giant Khuvsgul lake as well as
the grand national celebration — Naadam Festival, and all the attractions have
laid solid foundation for the country”s tourism industry.

Over the last three years, the number of foreign visitors to Mongolia increased
11 percent, with revenues up 32.5 percent during the same period.

In order to realize the target to attract 1 million foreign visitors per year
by 2015, the Mongolian government is expected to adopt more measures and
channel more investment to boost the country”s tourism sector.