Mongolia's image as a tourist destination: perceptions of foreign tourists

Abstract

This thesis examines the concept of tourist destination image and, in particular, the relationship between the perceived and projected images of Mongolia. As tourism is an important source of foreign exchange and provides jobs for a large number of people, the Mongolian government is quite interested in increasing the number of tourists visiting the country. As Mongolia tries to create its destination image as a preferred travel destination, it is important for its travel industry to understand perceptions held by people within its target market and the way in which images are produced and projected by local tourism institutions. In order to do the research, two types of images were studied. The perceived images of tourists were analysed using a survey. The sample consisted of 280 international visitors to Mongolia in July and August of 2004. The projected images were obtained through an analysis of travel brochures and through interviews with tour companies at the destination. In addition, the influences of information source were analysed in relation to the perception of Mongolia as a tourist destination. The results suggest that, in general, the tourists' image perceptions of Mongolia are positive. The results indicate that natural beauty, traditional nomadic lifestyles and friendly local people were important images of Mongolia among the respondents. The areas of most concern were its lower ratings on safety of transportation, accommodation conditions and accessible tourist attractions. Some differences were noted between the projected and the perceived images of Mongolia. The research implications are also highlighted and the thesis concludes by recommending possible marketing strategies.