How much can North Korea's tourism industry earn a year?

On June 5, 2009, China and the DPRK signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Implementation Plan of China Tourism Team's Travel to the DPRK. From April this year 12, China tourism teams can travel to the DPRK. This paper briefly introduces the general situation of North Korea's tourism industry and puts forward some development suggestions for reference only.

First, the basic situation of tourism in North Korea

(1) Tourism enterprises

As for travel agencies, there are eight travel agencies under the DPRK National Tourism Administration, three of which are in Pyongyang and the other five are in other tourist destinations. In addition, there are Korea Youth International Travel Service under the Golden Society Federation and Korea Jinbei Travel Service under the Ministry of Sports.

As for tourist hotels, there are 3 super hotels and more than 20 first-class hotels/KLOC-0, with about 5,000 beds. The quality and variety of supplies provided by hotels in North Korea are limited, and water and electricity are often cut off, so tourists generally need to prepare toiletries.

In terms of scenic spots and tourism products, North Korea's areas open to foreign tourists are Pyongyang, Nanpu, Kaesong, Miaoxiangshan, Qibaoshan, September Mountain, Yuanshan and the southern foot of Changbai Mountain. There are about 100 mineral spring areas and 56 hot spring areas in North Korea. The largest hot spring is Izumi, which spews 5000 cubic meters every day. Apart from general sightseeing, most tourists come to North Korea to enjoy Arirang, which is a large-scale group gymnastics performance unique to North Korea now.

In terms of tourism commodities, there are mainly Korean national costumes, handicrafts, toys, Korean pictures, Korean ginseng local products and so on. Shopping is usually carried out in designated friendship shops, souvenir shops and hotels.

tourist market

In terms of inbound tourism,

(1) The number of tourists from southern China to the border of the DPRK has seriously shrunk: the DPRK Tourism General Administration opened a tourism project for China to the DPRK on 1988. On September 2, 2008, the government of China decided to make People's Republic of China (PRC) a destination country for citizens to travel abroad. According to the statistics of the DPRK National Tourism Administration, the number of tourists from China to the DPRK border from 2002 to 2008 was 12 10000, 44000, 103000, 69000, 46000, 5 10 and 26000 respectively. From June 2009 to June 2009, there were 24,000 person-times.

(2) On the whole, the number of inbound tourists also fluctuated greatly, from 2002 to 2008, it was 6.5438+094 million, 49,000, 6.5438+026 million, 6.5438+008 million, 85,000, 92,000 and 68,000 respectively. From 1 to 1 in 2009, there were 36,000 person-times.

(3) The composition of inbound tourists is relatively simple: at present, the inbound tourists are mainly from Chinese mainland, China, Taiwan Province Province, China, Europe, Britain, the Netherlands, Japan, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions. At present, 90% of foreigners are tourists, and 80% of them are tourists from China. There are more than 4,000 European tourists every year, mainly from Britain, the Netherlands and other countries, and more than 500 Japanese tourists every year/kloc-0. North Korea only receives North Korean tourists to watch in Pyongyang when Arirang performs, but usually North Koreans are not allowed to visit North Korea. During the Arirang Art Festival in North Korea, Americans and Japanese can travel to North Korea.

(4) Mode of travel: 65,438+000% is carried out by the team organized by North Korea Ground Travel Agency.

In terms of domestic tourism and amateur cultural life, North Korea emphasizes that literature and art must serve the reality of the Korean revolution and highlight the political function of culture and art, especially the special role of music and songs. Therefore, domestic tourism is mainly organized by units to visit red scenic spots and cultural performances, without individual travel, travel agency organization and self-organization and other forms of tourism. For example, during the visit to the Jinxiu Mountain Memorial Palace and the International Friendship Exhibition Hall, the delegation met some groups organized by North Korean military schools and local units.

In terms of outbound tourism, there is basically no outbound tourism in North Korea. For those who go abroad now, 100% goes to China, and 20% goes to other countries or regions via China.

Second, the main business opportunities and problems of traveling to the DPRK

At present, the number of port cities for China to travel to the DPRK is increasing, the exit means such as visas are gradually simplified, and the DPRK's tourism promotion to China is intensified. Liaoning and Jilin provinces have opened some tourist routes to the DPRK. In 2006, North China also began to promote the "Feseddin Island Free Trade Zone" project in the lower reaches of the Yalu River. With the completion of the new Yalu River Bridge across Frasardine Island and the signing of the China-DPRK tourism cooperation agreement, it will open the way for more North Korean tourists to travel north.

Judging from the public information, the DPRK hopes to reverse the serious shrinking of tourists in China and enhance the exchanges between the two peoples. It is hoped that through the implementation of the tourism cooperation agreement between the two countries, the number of tourists from China to the DPRK will be restored to the level of 2002, that is, more than 654.38 million per year, especially the development of business conference tourism and red tourism on the border between China and the DPRK. I hope to increase the tourist routes to watch Arirang on 20 10.

Judging from the economic and social development, tourism resources, tourism infrastructure, tourism market, tourism industry and tourism service quality of North Korea, as the slogan of North Korea's tourism propaganda says, "You can get more than expected", the development of North Korea's tourism industry is better than expected. China and the DPRK have great space for exchanges and cooperation in developing sightseeing, red tourism, cultural performance tourism and one-day border tours.

Facing the scale of tourism exchange between the two countries, the DPRK hopes to increase the number of tourists from China on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is worried that tourists from China will come too fast, and the existing reception capacity will not keep up, thus causing problems in the quality of tourism services. Therefore, North China strongly hopes to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the southern tourism industry, and improve the tourism reception capacity and the quality of tourism services.

Third, suggestions on developing the tourism market in North Korea.

(a) adhere to the principle of marketization and industrialization, and organize group tours to the DPRK.

* * * Respect the wishes of the two countries, follow the requirements of the tourism market and the laws of the market economy, and achieve the tourism market goals through tourism industry cooperation. Technicians from China and North Korea created marketable products, organized spot checks, and increased publicity with travel agencies as the main body. Strengthen cooperation and exchanges between the two countries in tourist attractions and hotels.

(2) Enrich the tourism products and carriers that embody the friendship between China and the DPRK.

According to the characteristics of team tourism, we will vigorously promote the spirit of friendship between China and the DPRK in the tourism industry and the tourism market, and encourage all industries to develop products with the theme of friendship between China and the DPRK. Develop red tourist routes with the themes of Northeast Anti-Japanese Coalition Forces and Chinese people's Volunteer Army's War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea; Strengthen the development and publicity of cultural tourism products with Arirang as the core. Develop China-DPRK friendship stamps and other tourist shopping products, and enrich Korean ginseng, Korean cakes and other folk goods series. Expand the scope of Chinese signs and increase the participation in the above-mentioned tourism activities.

(3) Focus on developing the middle-aged and elderly tourism market.

In the tourism market, we will continue to consolidate the middle-aged and elderly people, the main group traveling to the DPRK, and design corresponding tourist routes and services according to their general interest in the Korean War or nostalgia. Develop the border tourism market in appropriate border areas such as Sinuiju, North Korea, and cultivate the potential youth tourism market.