DPRK Prematurely Stops to Receive Chinese Tour Groups Due to Frequent Snowfalls

After entering winter, the frequent snowfalls in DPRK leads the tour groups from Dandong, Liaoning Province, and Hunchun and Tumen in Jilin Province to cease the travel to DPRK. It is confirmed by several travel agencies in Dandong City on December 6 that the DPRK has declared to enter the “close phase” prematurely on December 5. Except the Sinuiju one-day tour, tours to other regions are all suspended.

“Some popular itineraries like ‘Pyongyang-Kaesong-Myohyang-san Mountain 4 days tour’ has been ceased”, General Manager of China International Travel Service (CITS) Quan Shunji told the reporter of China News Service. Although winter is the tourism slack season, the close border time is usually after December 20 in previous years. Due to the frequent snowfall, DPRK has to close border prematurely.

In the First Sino-Korean economic,trade, tourism and Culture Fair held in Dandong in Oct this year, dozens of travel agencies came to promote their tourism production, making the DPRK tours keep hot. But the frequent snowfalls leads many travel services loose the chance of cashing in on.

“According to previous experience, the open time of DPRK tour is around Chinese Spring Festival. Travel agencies will launch new tours to attract tourists from China and other countries.” Quan expressed.