STORY: Mongolia hosts nomadic cultural festival to boost tourism
SHOOTING TIME: Aug. 16, 2024
DATELINE: Aug. 16, 2024
LENGTH: 00:00:50
LOCATION: Ulan Bator
CATEGORY: SPORTS/CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of nomadic cultural festival in Mongolia

STORYLINE:

A nomadic cultural festival, celebrating Mongolia's rich heritage and boosting tourism, kicked off in the capital city, Ulan Bator on Friday.
   
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sport, Tourism, and Youth, the three-day event, held in the Nalaikh District of Ulan Bator, is designed to honor and preserve Mongolia's rich nomadic traditions and attract both domestic and international visitors by showcasing its intangible cultural heritage.
   
Nearly 900 custodians of intangible cultural heritage and nomadic individuals from all 21 provinces of Mongolia, along with 150 representatives from over 10 countries, are participating in the festival titled "Nomads," said the ministry.
   
During the festival, visitors can immerse themselves in Mongolian nomadic culture, enjoy folk art performances, purchase local goods, explore craft fairs, engage in cultural education programs, watch traditional sports such as archery, horse racing, and wrestling, and savor national cuisine.
   
To diversify its economy, which is heavily dependent on the export-oriented mining sector, Mongolia has been actively implementing measures to promote tourism.
   
As part of its efforts to boost tourism, Mongolia has designated 2023-2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia," aiming to attract at least 1 million foreign tourists annually.
   
Last year, the Asian country welcomed over 650,000 foreign tourists and generated a record 1.2 billion U.S. dollars from the tourism sector.
   
As of July, the country has attracted a total of 436,617 foreign tourists, according to the tourism ministry.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ulan Bator.
(XHTV)