North Korea develops spa resort to attract Chinese tourists

By Zhang Dan Source:Global Times Published: 2019/12/9 21:38:40

A tourist takes a photo near the border between China and North Korea in Dandong, Northeast China's Liaoning Province in October 2018. Photo: VCG



North Korea plans to attract more foreign tourists, most likely from China, by developing hot spring facilities and medical tourism, as 2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the war to resist US aggression and aid Korea (1950-53), industry analysts said on Monday.

The anniversary will bring more Chinese tourists to North Korea, including elderly people and the offspring of those killed in the war, and hot spring would attract these people, travel agents and experts on North Korea told the Global Times. These visitors will help North Korea benefit from tourism development, 

A travel agent surnamed Zhang at Hongxiang International Travel Agency in Dandong, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, said: "I heard of the completion of Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center in South Pyongan Province on Saturday, and the spa resort will serve about 500 visitors per day."

He told the Global Times it is good news since the majority of Chinese tourists to North Korea are elderly people who would prefer hot spring resorts with elements of local medicines.

"In past decades, traveling routes in North Korea have never changed. The spa resort with modern facilities could bring something new and we may include the resort in our itinerary next year," Zhang said. 

According to North Korea's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun, the spa center includes modern service facilities, a ski slope and a horse-riding park. 

Kim Jong-un, top leader of North Korea, attended the completion ceremony, the newspaper reported on Sunday. 

These efforts are in line with North Korea's ambition to boost its tourism sector to make up for a shortfall of foreign currency, Lü Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday. 

Private tourism does not appear on the list of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea, hence, it's vital for the country to develop its economy in other ways, Lü noted. 

The country's main target for tourism is Chinese. 

North Korea is also considering medical tourism, including cataract surgery, dental implants and cancer therapy, media reports said.

However, there is no particular demand from Chinese patients for such services in North Korea, Xu Xiaolei, manager of marketing at China's CYTS Tours Holding Co, told the Global Times. 

"Even though the public healthcare sector in North Korea works well, it needs to prove attractiveness to Chinese, and it takes time for the market to prove its effectiveness," Xu said. 

Last year, more than 200,000 foreign tourists visited North Korea and 90 percent of them were Chinese, according to the Xinhua News Agency in July. 



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