Tourism and culture in Mongolia: the case of Ulaanbaatar Naadam

O'Gorman, Kevin D. and Thompson, K.; Butler, R.W. and Hinch, T, eds. (2007) Tourism and culture in Mongolia: the case of Ulaanbaatar Naadam. In: Tourism and Indigenous Peoples: Issues and Implications. Butterworth - Heinemann, Oxford, pp. 193-210. ISBN 0750664460

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Abstract

The chapter discusses the different experiences of the two sets of visitors to the Ulaanbaala Naadan festival, based on a study conducted in 2005, and explores the challenges for this traditional cultural event posed by modern tourism and other forces. It commences with a brief overview of international and domestic tourism in Mongolia. The overview is followed by a review of the origins and history of Naadam as an indigenous cultural festival. The experiences of modern day visitors to the festival from overseas and from Mongolia are then examined and compared, with reference to similarities and differences between the two groups. Finally, the chapter considers issues and future challenges for the festival as a result of the increasing number of international visitors and their expectations of the festival.