Institutional Transformation and Sustainable Tourism Governance in Mongolia. A Comparative Assessment of the Tourism Law of 2000 and Revised Tourism Law of 2023

Abstract

This study conducts a systematic comparative analysis of Mongolia's Tourism Law of 2000 and Revised Tourism Law of 2023, examining the nature and extent of institutional transformation in the country's tourism governance framework over a critical two-decade period of post-socialist economic transition and sustainable development policy evolution.A qualitative legal document analysis was conducted on the full texts of both Tourism Laws. An analytical framework comprising six governance dimensions - governance structure (GOV), sustainability integration (SUS), stakeholder participation (STK), competitiveness and development (COM), tourist protection and service quality (QUA), and institutional modernization (INS) - was applied systematically to identify, code, and interpret shifts in institutional design, regulatory provisions, and governance philosophy across the two legislative instruments.The analysis reveals a substantial transition from a centralized, administratively oriented regulatory model toward a multi-level, sustainability-integrated, and stakeholder-inclusive governance framework. The Revised Tourism Law of 2023 introduces sustainable tourism development as its foundational principle, establishes a co-regulatory role for the national tourism association, recognizes community-based tourism as a distinct policy category, mandates liability and accident insurance, and expands tourist safety and digital governance provisions. Across fourteen governance indicators, the Revised Tourism Law of 2023 demonstrates consistent improvement in governance depth and international alignment.This study provides the first systematic longitudinal comparison of Mongolia's tourism governance framework using an institutional theory lens. It demonstrates governance paradigm transformation in a transition economy context and offers a transferable analytical methodology applicable to comparable national cases.The study is based on formal legal documents and does not assess implementation effectiveness or informal governance practices. Future research should examine institutional capacity, enforcement dynamics, and stakeholder perspectives on the revised framework.