North Korea is set to reopen its doors to international tourists this winter, lifting travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to reports from tour operators KTG and Koryo Tours. These companies revealed that the North Korean government plans to allow limited travel to select locations, with the city of Samjiyon expected to welcome foreign tourists by December. Other areas may also become accessible soon, fueling excitement among travel organizers like Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which announced the development on its website.
Samjiyon, a mountain city near the Chinese border, has been undergoing significant development to enhance its tourism facilities. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who recently visited the city, has commended it as a “model of highly-civilized mountain city” featuring new hotels, attractions, and a ski resort. The country’s eastern coast is also seeing the construction of another major tourism site, part of broader efforts to revive the economy after the pandemic’s severe impact.
While North Korea has remained largely closed to foreign tourists since 2020, some international flights resumed last year, and a small Russian group visited in February. Koryo Tours noted that trips to North Korea typically cost between 600 and 1,500 euros per person, varying based on departure point, trip duration, group size, and accommodations.
However, travel to North Korea continues to be restricted for certain nationals. South Korean citizens cannot enter as tourists, and the U.S. government has a strong advisory against travel to the country, with U.S. passports not valid for North Korean travel unless specially validated by the Department of State.
The reopening of Samjiyon, likely aimed at attracting Chinese tourists who made up the bulk of pre-pandemic visitors, could significantly boost North Korea’s tourism revenue. In 2019, a record 350,000 Chinese tourists visited the country, providing a crucial income stream for Pyongyang, according to NK News.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/15/north-korea-to-reopen-to-international-visitors-tour-operators-say.html
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