The revenue of the aviation industry reached 56.75 billion MNT, a nine percent increase compared to the previous year, and the industry's number of customers served rose to 152,200 in the first quarter of 2017, reported the National Statistics Office (NSO). The increase in revenue is linked to a 53.4 percent increase in the number of domestic travelers. In the first quarter of 2017, 64,600 passengers flew on domestic flights. The total number of passengers in Q1’17 was 152,200. International travel only increased by 2.2 percent, totaling 87,500 passengers. As highlighted by the NSO, passenger baggage has been steadily declining, as evidenced by an annual amount of 635.8 tons of cargo transported. The volume of air shipments has been increasing, with an 18.2 percent increase to 70.3 tons compared to last year. NSO officials said that the volume of air shipments has risen each year. Analysts have pointed to the increase in air cargo as a positive sign of development in the Mongolian aviation industry. As air travel becomes cheaper and the economy improves, the trajectory of growth appears to be sustainable. The largest aviation company in the nation, MIAT, has been working to increase their routes, with new direct flights to Busan, South Korea, and Bangkok, Thailand, being offered in June 2017.