ULAN BATOR, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Mongolia exceeded 600,000 by the end of October, an all-time high and surpassing 2019's total, the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism said Thursday.
Russia, China and South Korea were the biggest sources of tourist arrivals for Mongolia in the January-October period, the ministry said in a statement.
The Mongolian government has taken measures to revive the pandemic-hit tourism sector.
In January, 34 countries were granted visa-free entry to Mongolia for tourism purposes, increasing the number of visa-exempt countries to 61.
The Asian country has also declared 2023-2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia."
Mongolia's economy is mainly dependent on its export-oriented mining sector. Developing tourism is seen as the most viable way to diversify the economy.
The country received roughly 577,300 foreign tourists in 2019. ■