Our 2023 Feedback Response
Your Voice, Our Commitment: It’s Our 2023 Feedback Response!
Since Mongolia’s reopening in February 2022 following a two-year closure due to the pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine has significantly impacted travel to Mongolia. The international Trans Mongolian train remains non-operational, and the Moscow flight route is inaccessible. Additionally, limited competition in international flights to Ulaanbaatar and the diesel restriction imposed by Russia have contributed to making Mongolia a relatively expensive destination. In addition, since Mongolia’s reopening, the government’s decision to make the country visa-free in 2023 and 2024 has led to a surge in independent guides and budget companies. This competitive landscape has driven down the price of tours making it a very tough environment to work in as our experiences prioritise values beyond solely financial considerations. We value every guest who has chosen to travel with us in 2023.
Our primary focus is to promote a more inclusive form of tourism. Acknowledging the existing inequalities in the tourism sector, albeit as a small company, we endeavor to create a positive impact within the Mongolian communities where we operate. We strive to ensure a broader, more diverse spectrum of Mongolian people, families, and local projects benefit from tourism. As a niche and small-scale company without a dedicated administrative or operations team, we acknowledge that occasional mistakes can occur.
We’ve always fostered transparency and openness and that’s why we’re sharing the highlights of our 2023 feedback and the responses they’ve inspired with our broader community, offering our prospective guests a clear understanding of the EL experience they can expect.
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Feel free to get in touch with your comments or thoughts. We’ve highlighted some of our main sustainability goals or focus points for 2023 and 2024 below. Thank you for being part of a bigger travel philosophy.
Chandmana Erdene
The United Nations Global Report on Women and Tourism highlights the tourism sector’s potential for women’s workforce participation, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Since our establishment in 2010, Eternal Landscapes Mongolia has exclusively employed Mongolian female guides and offered a low-season tourism training program for women. This experience has paved the way for Chandmana Erdene, our groundbreaking initiative embracing a ‘circular approach to tourism.’ It reimagines industry growth with circular economy principles, placing women at the heart of economic recovery and policy development.
We are on the lookout for funding to make Chandmana Erdene a reality. With the land already secured, we need US$ 300,000 for the centre’s construction based on Passivhaus principles. Your support can help us break down these barriers and bring our vision of Chandmana Erdene to life. Please reach out to us with your ideas to help us turn our vision into a reality.
Funding Toilets
For the herding families we work in partnership with, most migrate throughout the year and do not necessarily have access to a toilet at some of their pasture locations or they have very casual latrine-style toilets that often need improvements. We know the facilities aren’t great and by bringing visitors to their homes, we are increasing the pressure on the toilet facilities. Although nearly all tourism companies in Mongolia use homestay experiences provided by Mongolian herding families and although we are a small company and restrained by time and our limited financial resources, we are looking at ways we can fund composting toilets for the families we work with. Dry toilets are also an option but herding families live life on a thin edge and realistically do not have the time required for dealing with dry toilets. We also need to consider the ongoing maintenance of any toilets owned by the families or that we arrange to be built.
Learn more here – https://www.eternal-landscapes.co.uk/toilets-tourism-and-mongolia/
Our Annual National Park Community Clean Up
We acknowledge that Mongolia is not the untouched wilderness often portrayed, but preserving its scenic beauty and wilderness remains crucial for responsible travel. Since 2014, we’ve organized the Tariat community’s two-day effort to clear Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park’s north shore and Khorg volcano area in the central Khangai Mountains. This initiative addresses the pressing issue of discarded waste in rural communities, lacking the means to manage it. Our annual community clean-up not only fosters sustainable tourism but also instills a shared environmental responsibility among locals. This engagement enhances the park’s aesthetics, maintains ecological balance, and promotes a deeper connection with nature. We’re proud of the local community’s commitment to improving the environmental impact of visitors in the area.
Learn more here – https://www.eternal-landscapes.co.uk/mongolia-national-park-community-clean-up/
