Skift Take
Facing sanction challenges from the West, Russian travelers may simply find a prospective traveler location in North Korea.
Peden Doma Bhutia
Amongst the last countries to resume tourism activities post-pandemic, North Korea is set to welcome its first global tourists in February, marking the end of its border closure since January 22, 2020. And tourists, specifically in Russia, are remembering.
A Vladivostok-based Russian tour company Vostok Intur marketed for a North Korea trip recently.
What Does The Trip Entail?
The four-day journey set to begin on February 9, according to Vostok Intur’s site, has been priced at $750 per person, and includes a stop in Pyongyang before skiing at Masikryong ski resort promoted as North Korea’s “most modern-day ski resort.”
“We offer you a special chance to go on an extraordinary journey, enabling you to combine active entertainment on the slopes with beautiful scenery and discover more about the remarkable culture of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea!” the site of the tour company states.
The Dos and Do n’ts (Primarily Do n’ts)
Vostok Intur in its memo, information particular safety measures travelers ought to observe.
Don’t Carry Travel Guides: The trip agency points out, “Propaganda of the Western lifestyle, in addition to books about North Korea published in the West (including tourist guides), are formally restricted from import.” Travel guides and books newspapers or publications about South and North Korea function prominently on the list of “things to leave in your home.”
No ATMs/Credit Card Terminals: While prompting tourists to bring cash in Euros, U.S. Dollars, or Chinese Yuan, the site mentions that there are no ATMs or credit card terminals in the country.
Extensive Baggage Search: The trip firm discusses that the travel luggage might be subject to “extensive searches” when getting in and leaving the country.
Image Inspect: The site likewise forewarns that pictures taken on digital electronic cameras might be inspected by border guards, and “some of them may be deleted.”
Travel to US or South Korea? Allaying fears of those who might later on wish to check out U.S. or South Korea, the trip agency points out, “We have actually never spoken with our customers about any issues crossing the U.S. or South Korean border with North Korea stamps in their passports.”
North Korean Foreign Affairs
The U.S. in 2019 withdrawed visa-free entry rights for foreigners who have actually gone to North Korea given that 2011. The United States permits citizens of 41 countries– including South Korea, Japan and France– to get in for up to 90 days without a visa under a waiver program.
The Biden administration in August has also extended a ban on using U.S. passports for travel to North Korea. The restriction, that’s in place till August 31, 2024, had been imposed in 2017, and has actually been renewed every year because.
Russian state-run news agency Tass said the Russian tour bundle to North Korea was organized under an arrangement reached in between Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Russia’s Primorye region, and North Korean authorities during Kozhemayko’s journey to Pyongyang in December.
In September 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had actually likewise visited Russia. North Korea getting Russian tourists before the Chinese– up until now their biggest foreign traveler category– is said to be an indicator of Kim Jong Un prioritizing the nation’s partnership with Russia.
Tourism in North Korea
Before the pandemic, 90% of the total international visitors to North Korea were reported to be from China.
In 2019, NK News research study had actually estimated conservatively that around 350,000 Chinese visitors would have visited North Korea because year producing some $175 million in earnings.
Nevertheless, due to the absence of official data, examining tourism development in North Korea relies solely on price quotes offered by customized organizations and media outlets.
38 North, a publication of the Stimson Center, in its 2021 report on North Korea, discusses tourist being a strong source of foreign currency for the routine before January 2020, approximating the loss during the pandemic to be over $175 million.
The inauguration of the Pyongyang Tourist College in 2014 was also viewed as significant push to motivate tourist.
Last month, report had actually likewise suggested that North Korea has resumed construction on the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Traveler Zone designed on Spain’s seaside resort Benidrom with beaches, high-rise buildings and hotels.
The project, initially set up for conclusion by 2018, had actually been delayed due to the pandemic and is now anticipated to be finished by 2025.