In 2008, the national anthems of each North Korea and the US resonated throughout the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre — echoing hopes of a thawing relationship between the countries.
The curtains have since long closed on these hopes.
The historic concert, performed by the Recent York Philharmonic is certainly one of Mark Edward Harris’ favorite moments of his 10 trips to the “Hermit Kingdom.”
Harris, a Los Angeles-based photographer, told CNBC that he hopes to return to North Korea soon.
Covid holdouts in Asia — corresponding to Japan and Hong Kong — have relaxed border restrictions, but North Korea is predicted to maintain its rules firmly in place.
The Recent York Philharmonic performs on Feb. 26, 2008, in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Mark Edward Harris | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Moreover, North Korea’s reopening relies on two countries — China and Russia. Travelers desperate to visit it often should enter through them.
Even when North Korea were to open tomorrow, “neither option is obtainable,” said Simon Cockerell, general manager of Koryo Tours, which makes a speciality of North Korean tourism. He cited the continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine and China’s strict border closures.
North Korean’s border reopening “entirely relies” on how China reopens to foreign travelers, said Rowan Beard, a tour manager at Young Pioneer Tours.
“The vast majority of tourists going to North Korea go directly through China,” he said.
If China doesn’t issue tourist visas or allow tourists to transit through it, it should be unattainable for Westerners based in China to go to Pyongyang, agreed Rayco Vega, general manager of tour agency KTG Tours.
Demand never stopped
At the same time as North Korea retreated into its shell through the pandemic, demand to go to never waned, in keeping with several tour agencies.
“There has at all times been solid demand, and it might even be pent up at this point,” said Cockerell.
North Korea tours make up greater than 90% of Koryo’s revenue stream, he said.
A performance on the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Mark Edward Harris | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Beard agreed, saying travelers still send requests to go to North Korea.
“I receive emails each day from those asking if North Korea has reopened and in the event that they can go,” he said. “They’re on the waiting list, and once it does reopen, it’s first-come, first-served.”
North Korea’s tourism revenue rose around 400% between 2014 and 2019, in keeping with the North Korea evaluation database 38 North.
Tours into North Korea comprised about 75% of his company’s business before the pandemic, said Beard. He organized trips for about 1,200 tourists in 2019, comprising mainly Australians, Brits, Canadians, the Dutch and Germans, he said.
“We could have taken more however the demand for travel to North Korea was also in high demand with the Chinese market, which made flight and train tickets incredibly limited,” he said.
‘One in all the last countries to let travelers in’
With China still adhering to its zero-Covid strategy, the tour agencies that spoke to CNBC estimate that North Korea may reopen to foreign tourists in 2024 — or later.
“Our guess is that the DPRK might be certainly one of the last countries to let travelers in,” said Vega.
Travel brochures promoting North Korea, Tibet and China at a stand on the CMT travel trade fair in January 2020.
Marijan Murat | Picture Alliance | Getty Images
“They may take essentially the most conservative line on this,” Cockerell said. “The country has also closed for months because of SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2015, so that they do act decisively within the face of pandemics.”
He added that a “a European-style relaxed attitude” toward travelers won’t come anytime soon, and expects strict controls to stay in place even when it does reopen.
Beard said he believes North Korea’s reopening might be a “tedious” one, tormented by Covid testing, tracking apps and face mask rules, even when the “remainder of the world can have mostly moved on.”
