2002 WILL BE PROCLAIMED A YEAR OF "TRIPS TO MONGOLIA"








ULAN BATOR, March 4. /RIA Novosti correspondent Alexander Altman/. With the aim of turning tourism into a priority sphere of the country's economy, the Mongolian government intends to proclaim the coming 2002 a year of "Trips to Mongolia."  As the RIA Novosti correspondent reports, at the end of 2001 a forum of national tourist companies and firms will take place in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator at which its participants will discuss the questions of improving contacts with foreign  tourist agencies and of raising the quality of service in this sphere. 


	The Mongolian government intends to render assistance to tourist organisations in increasing the number of foreign  tourists visiting Mongolia. 


	In the year 2000, Mongolia was visited by 153,000 guests  from more than 120 countries, of whom 33,000 were tourists. Half of the tourists were from Western Europe, North America,  Australia and  Canada. The majority of businessmen coming to  Mongolia are citizens of Russia and China. Last year the profit from tourism amounted to more than 20 million US dollars.  


	At the present time there are 83 tourist centres in Mongolia which can accommodate not more than 5,000 guests a day.   Altogether, there are 254 tourist companies and firms in  Mongolia. -O- (kos/ter)  04/03/01    14:52