Discrimination in Mongolia

Mongolian person: How much is khuushuur?

Seller: 600 MNT

Foreign person: How much is khuushuur?

Seller: 1000 MNT

These are the replies for exactly the same question. This can be determined as the set tariff for tourists, visiting Mongolia all the way from their home countries. Every tourist undergoes this situation and it became a regular happening in Mongolia.

It’s perfectly obvious that the seller hasn’t made his khuushuur with better ingredients specifically for tourists. 

Why should the same khuushuur which was made with same flour, same meat must be sold in different tariff for foreigner and local? Local guides face this problem regularly too. They have nothing better to say than “It’s just how it works in Mongolia” when their tourists ask why it happens all the time. When seeing wealthy people, sellers of any country are likely to increase the cost of their products. In Mongolia, the different tariff for tourists and local residents are popular even among state service organizations. For example, while a Mongolian native pays 300 MNT before entering the state protected area, a foreigner pays 3000 according to the Attachment 4 of the 117th Decree in 2001, ratified by the Ministry of Nature and Environment of Mongolia.

Though 3000 MNT wouldn’t seem expensive to most of the tourists, it is unfair to pay ten times more than locals.

As Mongolia has four seasons and a harsh climate, tourists prefer to visit Mongolia in the summer, specifically during the Naadam Festival. Tariffs for tourists are legally in place during the Naadam Field as well. Tourists willing to see and experience the Opening Ceremony of the Naadam Festival must pay 25$ for the ticket. Both public and private organizations try their best to charge more for foreigners. Some Mongolians even charge a very high price and then don’t give back the change to foreigners. Does this money earned from an absurd and embarrassing method benefit Mongolian finances?

For example, Singapore, one of the most developed countries in the world, has turned a small fishing island into a major tourism area and it offers a remarkable service with an internationally acknowledged standard. 

Thus, Singapore asks for prices that equal great service.

The London Olympics, which concluded recently, had only two prices for tickets. One was for the opening ceremony and the other was for the matches. There were not different prices regarding the race or nationality.

To follow international standards, our country should set only one payment price for entering the state protected areas for both Mongolians and foreigners.

‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Is it really the proper way to be abroad?

Chinggis Khan Complex at Tsonjinboldog is one of the few tourist attractions which lie near Ulaanbaatar city. Though it doesn’t offer any additional service for foreign tourists, Mongolians pay 5000 MNT while tourists pay 10000 MNT to enter the complex.

While it cost 5$ to spend a night outside the tourist camp for Mongolians, it costs 10 $ for tourists. Camp administrators state “It’s just the way it is here.”

What’s more, when I inquired about the different tariff of tickets of the Ensemble Concert, the manager of the Ensemble claimed “Our Ensemble is capable of earning money only in summer. We set the ticket price after discussing it with tourism agencies. The tourists of agencies which had signed a contract with our ensemble enjoy a discount. From the cashier, foreign tourists pay 25000 MNT for each ticket while Mongolians buy it with 10000 MNT.”

Our ancestors were remarkably farsighted and taught their children to foresee and plan a time, covering four seasonal migrations (Nomad Mongolians migrate four times a year, shifting to the fresh pastures and places which are suitable for every season). But now we, Mongolians, are only thinking about our present instead of planning and preventing any misfortune and harm in our future. We are not aware of the outcome of our wrongful deeds which will come out very soon if we continue living like this.

While 456,303 tourists came to Mongolia in 2010, the number of tourists increased to 457,574, only by 0.2 % in 2011. This increase is rather small compared to other countries which lead mining industries. Though Mongolia is not one of the most famous countries, a great number of people know about our country. If one tourist who’s been to Mongolia says “Oh that country discriminates against foreigners and all of your money will just disappear in no time” to another, would that tourist come to Mongolia?

Not only tourists, but also expats in Mongolia undergo this discrimination. Though they work just like other Mongolians, paying more without a reason is unfair. Local guide, G.Dovchindorj, stated “The tourists always have to pay more than Mongolians for exactly the same exhibition or for a same room in a hotel. This kind of service exists nowhere but in Mongolia.”

Mongolians who have lived in Switzerland, the USA, the UK, the Philippines, India, Thailand, China, Russia and the Ukraine for many years note that they have never experienced this same kind of discrimination. They mention that some countries even offer cheaper prices for products to attract tourists.

If we keep treating tourists as we do now and continue to take advantage of them, we’ll stop seeing tourists in the streets soon.

Mongolia, our mother land, has countless magnificent wonders of virgin nature and unique culture which awes foreigners. The only thing Mongolia doesn’t have is a proper and efficient policy.

If we were to develop our infrastructure beforehand and attract tourists with excellent service, the number of tourists would visibly increase. Instead of taking as much as possible from tourists’ pockets and giving an unpleasant impression, we should think about how to make them come again.

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