ULAN BATOR, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has set a goal of hosting one million foreign tourists and earning one billion U.S. dollars in 2020, said the country's environment and tourism minister on Wednesday.

"We have to increase the number of tourists by 30 percent per year in the coming years to reach this goal," Namsrai Tserenbat said.

"We are working to develop tourism products, better services and tourism safety plans," the minister said.

Mongolia received over 470,000 overseas tourists in 2017, up from 16 percent year on year, and earned over 400 million dollars, up 20 percent from the previous year.

The landlocked Asian country has been making more efforts to develop the tourism sector in a bid to diversify its mining-dependent economy.

The country has declared 2018 as a tourism year.

Recently, Mongolia launched a hotline service for foreign visitors, providing information on popular destinations, ongoing events across the country and emergency help.?