Earth Day: Our Tourism Manifesto For Mongolia

Last updated 3 months ago by Jessica Brooks | Published: April 22, 2024

Earth Day: Our Tourism Manifesto For Mongolia

As the world celebrates Earth Day, this post explores the challenges and promising opportunities that Mongolia confronts as it aims to significantly expand its tourism sector to an ambitious target of one million visitors. While tourism is a cornerstone of our livelihood, offering enriching experiences in Mongolia, we recognise the critical need for sustainable management to avoid undue pressures on Mongolia’s unique cultural heritage and fragile ecosystems.

This beautiful film footage of Mongolia by Mongolian filmmaker @coziestone will give you an idea of the diversity and sheer beauty of Mongolia’s landscapes.

The magnetic appeal of Mongolia’s natural beauty and rich cultural history is undeniable. However, the potential surge in tourism, if not responsibly managed, presents risks of environmental and cultural degradation.

April 22nd marks Earth Day, a global celebration that began on this date in 1970 to promote ecological awareness and encourage environmentally friendly practices. Known as the launch of the modern environmental movement, Earth Day highlights the critical importance of conservation as we confront unprecedented climate-related challenges worldwide, including in Mongolia.

For centuries, Mongolia’s traditional nomadic lifestyle has played a crucial role in sustaining the natural environment. The herders’ deep-rooted understanding of conservation practices has been essential in minimizing ecological impacts and is still pivotal in the 21st century. However, Mongolia now faces escalating challenges. The country’s rich deposits of oil and minerals have attracted intense development interest, posing significant environmental risks.

Key environmental issues include desertification exacerbated by excessive grazing, an inadequate water supply, and widespread air and water pollution. Severe weather patterns, such as increasingly frequent and extreme dzuds (harsh winters) and dust storms, not only threaten the livelihoods of local herders but also have profound effects on Mongolia’s cashmere industry and food security. These challenges underscore the urgent need for sustainable practices to protect and preserve Mongolia’s unique environment and traditional ways of life. On this Earth Day, let us renew our commitment to environmental stewardship and recognize the delicate balance required to safeguard our planet for future generations.

Mongolia’s remote mountains serve as one of the last refuges for the critically endangered snow leopard. The prospect of encountering these majestic animals in the wild has drawn wildlife enthusiasts globally. Yet, without responsible management, increased tourism could disrupt these creatures, leading to stress and displacement due to heightened human activity and noise. Moreover, this surge could exacerbate the risks of poaching and illegal wildlife trade, despite stringent conservation efforts.

Additionally, the interest in the Mongol Kazakh eagle hunters, who have historically utilised their female golden eagles for hunting, has caused the number of eagle festivals to multiply, especially during autumn. This raises questions about the role and impact of ‘heritage’ tourism and whether the increasing scale of these festivals truly honours or exploits this tradition.

Image by EL guest Tammy McCorkle

Another significant draw is the traditional nomadic lifestyle of Mongolia’s herders, who, as mentioned, are already contending with the repercussions of climate change. With such challenges, how can they be expected to accommodate a surge in visitor numbers?

Striking the Right Balance: Our Tourism Mongolia Manifesto

The key to reconciling the goals of economic benefit from tourism with environmental and cultural conservation lies in sustainable tourism practices. That’s why, on Earth Day, we advocate for the creation of a sustainable tourism manifesto for Mongolia. Here’s what we would like to see done:

• Implementing Visitor Caps:  Enforcing visitor limits in sensitive areas, particularly the habitats of the snow leopard and other vulnerable species, is crucial to minimising ecological disturbance. These measures should be complemented by educating tourists on the vulnerability of these environments.
• Establishing A Visitor Etiquette Code: This would guide interactions with wildlife and cultural practices. Given the mix of visitors’ cultural backgrounds—some seek solitude while others travel in large, noisy groups—a clear code could help balance these impacts.
• Enhancing Sanitary Education: With the scarcity of public toilets, an online training academy for guides, drivers, and tour companies could significantly improve sanitary practices. Additionally, an education campaign aimed at domestic tourists on the importance of properly disposing of waste would help manage the environmental impact of increased domestic tourism. This initiative could also benefit Mongolia’s ger camps and tourism hotels by encouraging them to make simple yet impactful changes. These changes include installing dual-flush toilets and adopting an ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow’ philosophy.
• Domestic And International Awareness Campaigns: We advocate for the use of influencers and targeted awareness campaigns to educate visitors on minimising their environmental footprint while traveling in Mongolia. Promoting responsible behaviours such as sticking to designated trails and reducing the use of single use plastics—especially important in Mongolia where recycling facilities are limited, can significantly mitigate adverse effects.
• National Volunteer Days: A designated day two or three times a year where tourism businesses of all sizes come together and collectively focus on enhancing their environment through litter clearing as well as other environmental improvement efforts. This collaborative initiative not only helps beautify and preserve natural landscapes but also fosters a sense of community and responsibility among businesses in the tourism sector. 
• Establishing a Conservation Fund: We propose a national conservation fund, financed by a per-visitor contribution upon arrival. This fund would directly support wildlife and habitat protection projects. However, challenges such as corruption at the government level and the equitable allocation of funds must be addressed to ensure its effectiveness.

As Mongolia gears up to potentially welcome a million visitors, maintaining a balance between promoting tourism and safeguarding its natural and cultural heritage is imperative. Discover more about our mission to achieve this balance and how our experiences are designed to have a positive impact here. Explore the travel opportunities we offer here.