471. Building a Sustainable Future for Mongolian Tourism, with Jalsa Urubshurow

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Jalsa Urubshurow, CEO and Founder of Nomadic Expeditions. Jalsa shares the story of how he co-founded one of Mongolia’s most significant cultural events, the Golden Eagle Festival, held annually in the country’s remote West. Drawing on his background as the child of Mongolian refugees and his decades of experience bridging entrepreneurship and heritage, Jalsa shares firsthand stories about partnering with local communities and creating initiatives that drive economic growth while protecting Mongolia’s unique natural and cultural assets.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Jalsa pioneered luxury adventure travel to Mongolia and developed Nomadic Expeditions as a catalyst for sustainable tourism
• How tourism builds community empowerment and cultural preservation in Mongolia
• What inspired the revitalization of the Golden Eagle Festival, transforming a dying tradition into a thriving cultural event
• How sustainable tourism practices are woven into every aspect of the guest’s business, including conservation, guide training, and eco-conscious hospitality
• How local partnerships support Mongolian culture, economy, and educational initiatives
• What challenges and opportunities exist for tourism infrastructure in Mongolia, and how access impacts the growth of the industry
• How Jalsa’s deep-rooted passion and commitment to authenticity guide his leadership and vision for responsible travel

Pioneering Luxury Adventure and Cultural Revival

By the early 1990s, as Mongolia emerged from seven decades of Soviet influence, Jalsa was invited to play a pivotal role in reimagining the nation’s future. Tasked by Mongolia’s first democratically elected Prime Minister to advise on tourism, he saw an opportunity to chart a new course that blended economic progress with the revitalization of Mongolian heritage.

Jalsa founded Nomadic Expeditions in 1992, and unlike operators who prioritized mass-market tourism, Jalsa focused on high-value, low-impact travel experiences. His approach was to bring discerning travelers, scientists, and educational groups to Mongolia, sharing the country’s pristine wilderness and nomadic culture. Collaborations with institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and the American Museum of Natural History emphasize the importance of education, research, and immersive connection.

Saving a Vanishing Tradition with the Golden Eagle Festival

One of Jalsa’s most popular initiatives is the Golden Eagle Festival, co-founded in 1999 in Western Mongolia’s Bayan-Ölgii province. Here, the art of eagle hunting, a 2,000-year-old Kazakh tradition, was on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 20 practicing families remaining. Through the festival, Jalsa and local partners sought not just to encourage tourism, but to spark a cultural renaissance.

The result exceeded all expectations, and today, over 300 eagle hunter families participate, with a new generation of practitioners, many under 30, including remarkable young women, restoring pride and purpose to a once-fading heritage. Now recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural treasure and featured on Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list, the festival shows how sustainable tourism can simultaneously drive economic growth and revitalize events of cultural importance.

Championing Community-Driven Tourism

Jalsa is all about empowering local ownership and pride. Local guides are “culture bearers,” not mere tour operators, sharing traditions learned as children. Investments in musical schools, architectural authenticity, and capacity-building ensure communities shape their future and reap tourism’s rewards. Ultimately, as Jalsa says, the best advertising and promotion we can do is word of mouth and personal referral.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.nomadicexpeditions.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalsa-urubshurow-a65ba046/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nomadic-expeditions-inc-/

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