Mongolia Tourism

International Tourist Arrivals in Mongolia

International Tourist Arrivals in Mongolia Statistic

International Tourist Arrivals in Mongolia

This article provides information on last ten-year statistics in number of international visitors in Mongolia. Tourism plays an important role in the development of many countries because of its economic and employment potential, as well as its social and environment implications.
People from all over the world are visiting Mongolia in growing numbers according to revised figures released by CEIC data. International arrivals totaled 529.3 thousand in 2018, up more than 18 percent from 446.4 thousand in 2008.
The biggest source of international tourists in Mongolia composes tourists from China, Russian Federation and Republic of Korea during these years. Even in 2018, over half of the total number of tourists in Mongolia made with these three countries.
Despite visitors from China totaled 151.8 thousand, down from nearly 200 thousand in 2008, it is still ranked in 1st place in the top countries list of origin for Mongolian tourists until now. Also the growth of tourists from Republic of Korea was highest (+38.3 thousand) in last ten years, among Kazakhstan (+10 thousand), Japan (+5.1 thousand), USA (+4.9 thousand), Germany (+2.6 thousand), France (+2.9 thousand), UK (-0.9) and Australia (+2.7 thousand), confirming the importance of tourists from these countries.

YEARNumber of Tourist ArrivalsYEARNumber of Tourist Arrivals
2008446,4462009492,836
2010456,0902011460,360
2012475,8922013417,815
2014392,8442015386,204
2016404,1632017469,309
2018529,3702019577,297

Statistics 2008 - 2019: Top 10 countries visited to Mongolia:

In 2019, Visitors in Mongolia reached 577,2 thousand, a 9 percent increase in such arrivals from 2018, according to figures from CEIC data. Top 10 countries that visitors came from were still in same sequence from previous year.

Top 10 countries in 2018Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China168,292
2Russian141,927
3South Korea101,279
4Japan24,419
5USA18,838
6Kazakhstan16,264
7Germany12,405
8France10,571
9Australia7,014
10UK5,930

Most of 2018 brought good news for tourism in Mongolia. Data shown that visitors in Mongolia have reached to over 500,000 persons for the first time. The gain in international visitors in 2018 is a positive for the travel industry. The overall increase more that 12% from total visitors in 2017.

Top 10 countries in 2018Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China151,832
2Russian120,369
3South Korea81,774
4Japan20,115
5USA17,390
6Kazakhstan15,475
7Germany10,631
8France9,608
9Australia7,256
10UK5,805

Over 460 thousand international arrivals visited Mongolia, a 16 percent (more than 30 thousand) increase in such arrivals from 2016. Top 10 countries that visitors came from were still in same sequence from previous year except in UK and Australia. However, the numbers of tourists from the countries was in absolute increase.

Top 10 countries in 2017Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China144,070
2Russian106,935
3South Korea74,985
4Japan22,582
5USA16,684
6Kazakhstan14,234
7Germany10,586
8France10,044
9Australia6,689
10UK6,012

There were 404.1 thousand tourists to Mongolia by oversea visitors in December, 2016 (4.6% more than in 2015). The visitors from countries (not including China and UK) were increasing significantly.

Top 10 countries in 2016Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China131,312
2Russian84,065
3South Korea57,587
4Japan19,985
5USA15,859
6Kazakhstan14,434
7Germany9,709
8France9,035
9UK6,161
10Australia5,631

Even though the visitors from China have been composed majority number of Mongolian tourists, it had been dropping for last 2 years. Total tourists in Mongolia were 386.2 thousand in 2015.

Top 10 countries in 2015Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China145,029
2Russian70,668
3South Korea47,213
4Japan19,362
5USA14,420
6Kazakhstan14,434
7Germany8,992
8France7,989
9UK6,148
10Australia4,804

Tourist arrivals decreased 5.9% in 2014 to 392.8 thousand from 417.8 thousand in 2013, based on data reported by CEIC. Tourists from China were still standing the 1st – 40 percent which is 157.7 thousand. Tourists from Kazakhstan increased by 2 thousand and it was equal with number of USA tourists.

Top 10 countries in 2014Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China157,561
2Russian73,055
3South Korea45,476
4Japan18,178
5USA13,987
6Kazakhstan13,562
7Germany9,551
8France7,733
9Australia6,485
10UK5,758

The figures in 2013 released by CEIC data show a drop in total international visitors to Mongolia by close to 58 thousand compared to the previous year. The largest drop was from China (-21% from 2012) but still ranked 1st in the list.

Top 10 countries in 2013Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China178,326
2Russian74,468
3South Korea45,178
4Japan18,178
5USA14,701
6Kazakhstan11,422
7Germany9,499
8Australia8,528
9France7,407
10UK6,391

International visits totaled 475.8 thousand. The top countries of origin for Mongolian tourists continued to be China, Russian Federation and Republic of Korea. Visitors from Kazakhstan became the sixth largest group – jumped more than 30 percent from 2011 levels.

Top 10 countries in 2012Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China228,547
2Russian83,707
3South Korea44,360
4Japan17,119
5USA15,587
6Kazakhstan10,523
7Australia9,348
8Germany8,909
9France7,553
10UK6,804

Visits from top 10 countries were going up year-over-year. Especially visits from Australia were up dramatically from 2 years ago, 2009-3.7 thousand, 2010-5.4 thousand, 2011-7.9 thousand while visits from France was still same as in 2010 but ranked 2 ways down as visits from UK did.

Top 10 countries in 2011Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China201,032
2Russian102,738
3South Korea43,994
4USA15,423
5Japan14,988
6Germany8,545
7Australia7,981
8Kazakhstan7,973
9France7,570
10UK7,120

In 2010, 456 thousand international arrivals visited Mongolia, a 7.4 percent (more than 30 thousand) decrease in such arrivals from 2009, according to figures from CEIC data. Top 10 countries that visitors came from were still in same sequence from previous year. But the number of visitors from China decreased by more than 30 thousand whilst Russian Federation increased by over 20 thousand. And tourists from other countries increased by 5 hundred to 2 thousand each.

Top 10 countries in 2010Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China193,730
2Russian121,647
3South Korea42,231
4Japan14,140
5USA12,808
6Germany8,095
7UK6,209
8France5,872
9Kazakhstan5,757
10Australia5,471

International tourists totaled 492.8 thousand, up 10 percent from 446.4 thousand in 2008. The sequence of the countries that major visitors come from were still same, but numbers of visitors changed (grew and declined), China (+16%), Russian Federation (-1.7%) and Republic of Korea (-11%). Also, UK visitors decreased by approximately a thousand.

Top 10 countries in 2009Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China229,451
2Russian108,105
3South Korea38,273
4Japan11,401
5USA11,344
6Germany6,867
7UK6,781
8France5,872
9Kazakhstan5,053
10Australia3,741

In 2008, International tourists totaled 446.4 thousand according to revised figures released by CEIC data. Russian Federation (24% of all tourists) was the biggest source of international visitors to Mongolia after China (44% of all tourists).  China visitors totaled 196.8 thousand whilst Russian Federation totaled 109.9 thousand, and third country that the greatest number of tourists visited Mongolia was Republic of Korea numbered 43.3 thousand.

Top 10 countries in 2008Number of Tourist Arrivals
1China196,832
2Russian109,975
3South Korea43,396
4Japan14,939
5USA12,474
6Germany8,027
7UK6,781
8France6,688
9Kazakhstan5,473
10Australia4,491
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