An overview of the Rason Special Economic Zone. Photo by Flickr
Over the past month, Vietnamese travel companies had been promoting tours to Rason, a region located at the intersection of North Korea, Russia, and China, combined with visits to several cities in northeastern China.
However, these plans were abruptly disrupted when North Korean partners sent emails informing them that foreign tourists would no longer be allowed to enter Rason.
This decision comes just weeks after North Korea reopened its borders for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The sudden announcement caught Vietnamese tour operators off guard, particularly those who had already begun selling Rason tours.
Nguyen Van Son, Director of Vietworld Travel in Hanoi, shared his disappointment with Dantri, "Our first tour group was scheduled to arrive in North Korea on March 29. After receiving this unexpected news, we had to cancel all tours to Rason and refund customers. This is an unavoidable situation, and we have been in discussions with our agents and clients for support and understanding."
According to Son, most travelers who booked the Rason tour have opted to wait rather than claim refunds immediately, hoping that North Korea will soon reverse its decision before their scheduled departure at the end of March.
"Designing a tour product takes three to four months of research, studying the destination, planning flight routes, and arranging itineraries to ensure smooth logistics for travellers. It’s disheartening to see all that effort go to waste," Son added.
Fortunately, hotels in China, which were included in the tour, have shown understanding of the situation, so there were no financial losses for accommodations. We're now considering modifying the itinerary, keeping the China portion of the trip while excluding Rason.
Ho Xuan Phuc, Director of Hanotour in Hanoi, stated that North Korean partners did not provide a reason for the sudden policy change.
Currently, North Korea tours remain a niche market, as most travellers prefer to visit Pyongyang, which boasts numerous iconic landmarks.
"We’re waiting for Chinese airlines to resume flights to Pyongyang. Once that happens, we can offer more attractive tour itineraries that will generate greater interest," Phuc said.
Assessing the impact of North Korea's decision, Phuc noted that the financial loss for Vietnamese travel companies remains limited, as only a small number of customers had made deposits for the tours.
"We’ve only incurred marketing and promotional costs. For those who have already booked, we will allow them to postpone their trips until North Korea reopens or switch to alternative destinations," he explained.
A corner in North Korea.
In early February, North Korea's National Tourism Administration sent an official notice to travel companies, announcing the reopening of tourism. Foreign visitors were initially allowed to visit Paektu Mountain and the Rason Special Economic Zone.
On February 13, the first group of international tourists arrived in Rason.
Vietnamese travel agencies had been offering tours to North Korea priced between VND35.9 million (7 days, 6 nights) and VND42.9 million (10 days, 9 nights).
The itinerary included visits to three Chinese cities, Shenyang, Changchun, and Yanji, along with several attractions in Rason.
Highlights of the Rason itinerary included the North Korea-Russia Friendship Museum, Sunjong Observation Tower, the Golden Triangle Bank, a local brewery, and a nursing home.
