Mongolia is a partner country in ITB-Berlin 2011—billed as the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show — which opened on March 9, with 188 countries taking part. Mongolia has been participating in the fair since 1998 and this is the first time it has been honored with the status of a partner. The show focuses on the importance of tourism in economic growth while emphasizing that tourism must be managed properly, not harming the environment or using up natural resources. 

The Government has sent a large team from the state and private sectors to the show, led by Minister for Nature, Environment and Tourism L.Gansukh. Speaking at the opening ceremony, he said that Mongolia’s history and culture is a part of the world heritage, and the Government wants more tourists to savor it. The State Secretary of the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Technology met with Gansukh to show appreciation of Mongolia’s participation.

Gansukh invited the Director General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai, to visit Mongolia. The Chief of the Foreign Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, D.Batbold, spoke at a press conference on how Mongolia planned to develop its tourism sector.