Vacation spots abound at North Korea's latest resort, yet scarcity of tourists is evident
In the heart of North Korea, the Wonsan-Kalma resort, a symbol of progress and a potential venue for future diplomatic summits, has reopened its doors to foreign visitors. However, the resort, modeled after Waikiki, remains mostly empty, with only a handful of Russians seen on the beach.
Darya Zubkova, a veterinarian from St. Petersburg, Russia, was part of the first group of foreigners allowed to vacation in Wonsan since the pandemic. Zubkova and her fellow travelers had the new multimillion-dollar resort almost entirely to themselves for a week in July.
The resort is divided into domestic and international zones, with Zubkova and her group staying in the international section, separated from North Korean vacationers. The beaches at the resort are clean and machine-smoothed each morning, but the empty rows of beach chairs hint at a country not quite ready to throw open its doors.
Strict Covid-19 protocols remain in place, and tourists are limited almost entirely to tightly managed Russian groups. Chinese and Western visitors are still banned. Hotel staff at the resort bowed as guests entered the lobby, checked guests' temperatures, and sprayed their hands with disinfectant.
Zubkova reported excellent service during her stay at the resort, with staff going out of their way to accommodate her requests. Despite the empty resort, the staff's dedication was evident, a testament to North Korea's hospitality.
The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone is one of Kim Jong Un's pet projects and was built to showcase North Korea as open for business. However, the resort's initial grandeur seems to have been overshadowed by the ongoing pandemic and the cautious approach of the North Korean government.
Mike O'Kennedy, a content creator who previously filmed in North Korea, stated that the government is deeply cautious about what outsiders capture due to concerns about its image. This cautiousness is evident in the limited access given to foreign tourists and the stringent Covid-19 protocols in place.
In Pyongyang, consumer culture is quietly embracing a distinctly North Korean twist, with imitation versions of Western brands appearing on the city's streets. Yet, the tourist industry remains largely untouched by this shift, with YouTubers and influencers barred from visiting North Korea due to concerns about revealing too much of daily life.
The Pyongyang marathon, one of the rare chances for tourists to see beyond the curated facade, reopened to foreigners in 2025 after years of pandemic closure. However, the resort's emptiness suggests that North Korea's doors may not be fully open yet.
Nylander, a researcher on North Korea's economy, believes that North Korea has a huge consumer market waiting to happen. However, for now, what is seen in Pyongyang and Wonsan is for show, a message to the world that they can be modern while the doors stay shut.
CNN's Wayne Chang and Yong Xiong contributed to this report. Western tourists remain locked out of North Korea, with even Russian groups facing heavy restrictions. The future of tourism in North Korea remains uncertain, but for now, the Wonsan-Kalma resort stands as a testament to North Korea's ambitions and its cautious approach to the outside world.
Read also:
- Enhancing Marketing Efforts Through Creative Design!
- Top 3 Standout PS5 Role-Playing Games Apart from Cyberpunk 2077
- Substantial Gain for PS Plus in Recent Months - Featured Free Platformer as Impressive as Astro Bot
- Greenland filmmaker Inuk Silis Høegh is preparing his feature documentary 'Orsoq,' which focuses on life in isolation at the Earth's extremity.
