North Korea is doubling down on their efforts to capture the interest of potential Russian tourists by offering tours that show visitors “the multi-faceted life of this most closed of countries.”
Pyongyang might currently be in a dire state given North Korea’s sanctions, but that hasn’t stopped its government from offering “organized tours” to individuals or a group of ten people.
The tours are aimed at the Russian demographic through a Russian company that’s officially licensed by the North Korean government called NKOREAN.RU, according to Uri Tours. This North Korean tour promises “full immersion” as it takes tourists to a farm, a factory, a Buddhist temple, mountain treks, and even a visit to museums of their founding leader, Kim Il-Sung.
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Furthermore, the tour also offers some less-strenuous activities, such as a stroll at the beach, a trip to a beer festival, and an introduction to their national cuisine, among others. While the North Korean tour promises a tour that’s “safer than an evening walk in London”, there are some additional precautions that potential tourists should keep in mind.
Tourists are urged to display “adequate behavior” to guarantee their safety and the photography of any of the country’s military infrastructures are banned. In addition, talking to North Korean locals for an extended period of time is “not recommended.” Visitors to North Korea will be checked before they enter the country and will also be accompanied by a guide at all times.
As much as the North Korean government wants to develop their tourism industry, the business isn’t exactly booming. According to Independent, the Pyongyang government admitted that tourism has been pushed down recently due to North Korea’s current extremely volatile state. However, the tours are still “carrying on” despite the declining tourism since there are still numerous visitors who are into extreme tours; in fact, a record number of Western tourists participated in the Pyongyang Marathon back in April.
Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons/Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY 3.0)
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