Rotterdam: Architecture highlight and museum of migration – DW – 05/24/2025
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Int'l Business Times
07-07-2025
- Int'l Business Times
North Korea Bars Western Influencers From Trade Fair Tour
North Korea has barred Western influencers from joining a delegation of tourists to an international trade fair in October, a China-based tour operator told AFP on Monday. Diplomatically isolated North Korea has welcomed sporadic groups of international visitors in recent months, including hundreds of foreign athletes in April for the first Pyongyang International Marathon in six years. China has historically been the biggest diplomatic, economic and political backer of North Korea, which remains under crippling international sanctions. Travel agency Young Pioneer Tours (YPT) said on Saturday it would take a group of foreign tourists on a trip to the authoritarian state from October 24 to November 1. However, the tour would not be open to journalists, travel content creators or influencers, the company said on its website. YPT co-founder Rowan Beard told AFP the curbs on creators were "a specific request from the North Korean side". "We anticipate that once the country officially reopens, there may be stricter scrutiny or limitations on influencers and YouTubers joining tours," Beard said. The company had "no visibility" on when Pyongyang would restart official media delegations, he said. Several online influencers have shared slickly produced videos from inside North Korea in recent months. Chad O'Carroll, founder of specialist website NK News, said many influencers tend to have larger audiences than professional journalists, but "they are normally working without editors and tend to gain extra views through sensationalist-style content". "North Korean authorities likely see few benefits and major risks with allowing social media influencers to visit the country, given what we saw earlier this year," O'Carroll told AFP. "The result is a community of potential visitors who, in DPRK authorities' minds, are not likely to produce content that is favourable to state interests," he said, using North Korea's official name. The YPT tour, priced at 3,995 euros ($4,704), will depart from the Chinese capital Beijing and take in the Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair, North Korea's biggest international business exhibition. Participants will have a "unique chance" to stroll through more than 450 trade booths exhibiting machinery, information technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and household items. YPT also said the Pyongyang Chamber of Commerce would "hold a VIP presentation for us for an in-depth overview and insights into the (North Korean) economy". The itinerary also includes major sights in Pyongyang as well as the first Western visit in more than five years to Mount Myohyang, which boasts a museum of lavish gifts presented to former North Korean leaders. Chinese people used to make up the bulk of foreign tourists and business visitors to the isolated nuclear nation before it sealed its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, numbers have not rebounded despite Pyongyang's post-pandemic reopening, a trend that some analysts have attributed to Beijing's anger at North Korea's explicit support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Int'l Business Times
05-07-2025
- Int'l Business Times
China's First Legoland Opens To Tourists In Shanghai
Thousands of local tourists poured into China's first-ever Legoland as it opened its gates in Shanghai on Saturday, the latest theme park hoping to capitalise on a domestic tourism boom. The Chinese branch of the British-owned theme park franchise is the biggest Legoland in the world. It drew in early customers who flocked to attractions including a miniature train ride and a dragon-themed rollercoaster. "I personally love to play with Lego blocks and we have many sets at home... so I wanted to come to Legoland at the earliest opportunity," said Shi, a 35-year-old resident of nearby city Hangzhou, who was visiting the park with his wife and child. Despite the Chinese economy's sluggish growth in recent years, domestic tourist spending grew 18.6 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous year, according to statistics. "Ever since the pandemic, I've made very few trips abroad," said Shi, adding his family now travels to theme parks around China "many times a year". Eager Lego fans rushed into the park as soon as it opened, wearing themed shirts and waving branded flags as they enjoyed the 318,000-square-metre (78.5-acre) compound in scorching temperatures. Beijing has announced subsidies intended to make travelling within the country more affordable for Chinese citizens, and is pushing local governments to heavily market their attractions on social media. Companies have taken note of the wider local tourism boom and stepped up their plans in China. A new "Spider-Man" attraction at Shanghai Disneyland broke ground in May, while Warner Brothers is set to open a Harry Potter experience in Shanghai by 2027. Toy giant Hasbro said this week its giant Peppa Pig park in the city was now "in the phase of creative design". Chinese collectable toy maker Pop Mart has also opened an attraction in Beijing featuring life-sized versions of its popular Labubu toys. "The various provinces are putting a lot of effort into expanding their tourism industries, and all of them have special attractions," said Xu, a 34-year-old parent visiting Legoland on Saturday with his children. But profitability remains a problem, especially for local companies with less brand recognition. As of late 2024, around 40 percent of parks were still failing to turn a profit, according to state media reports. Yet analysts point to a growing population of retirees and job market changes as key factors pushing more locals to visit domestic attractions. "The labour market is turning more flexible," said Ernan Cui, China consumer analyst at Gavekal Research. "More people have leisure time to travel around."
DW
02-07-2025
- DW
North Korea opens massive beach resort to boost tourism – DW – 07/02/2025
North Korea has opened a massive beach resort to domestic tourists, with Russian tourists expected next week. Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area is believed to be one of Kim Jong Un's pet projects. North Korea has opened a massive "world-class cultural resort" on its eastern coast, state media said on Wednesday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shared images of tourists enjoying the beach in swimwear as the tourist zone opened to domestic visitors on Tuesday. "The guests' hearts were filled with overwhelming emotion as they felt the astonishing new heights of our-style tourism culture blossoming under the era of the Workers' Party," KCNA said. The agency said tourists were "astonished by the grandeur and splendor of the tourist city, which can accommodate nearly 20,000 people. South Korean media referred to the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area as "North Korea's Waikiki." Analysts say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is very keen on developing the tourism industry, especially the coastal areas. The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area is believed to be one of his pet projects. Kim said construction of the site would go down as "one of the greatest successes this year" and that the Pyongyang will build more large-scale tourist zones. Images of Kim with his daughter Ju Ae and wife Ri Sol Ju watching a man flying off a water slide in the resort were shared days ahead of the opening. Russian tourists are also expected to visit the zone from July 7 for an 8-day trip which includes a visit to Pyongyang, as per a statement from Russia's Primorsky region. South Korea's Unification Ministry said the site is expected to expand over time. But given limited transportation to the destination via Pyongyang, the resort is "likely to remain small in scale," with around 170 visitors per day. Experts say Pyongyang has received some aid from Russia to develop this site, in exchange for help with Moscow's war in Ukraine. For North Korea, tourism is potentially a good source of acquiring foreign currency. After remaining closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea finally opened its borders visitors. But even before that, the number of foreign tourists was very limited. Chinese tourists made up about 90% of visitors with only about 5,000 western tourists being allowed. But Chinese tourists seem to have stayed away as questions remain about ties between Beijing and Pyongyang. After the pandemic, Russian tourists were only allowed last year and Western tourists briefly returned in February 2025. US tourists used to make up about 20% of foreign tourists. But Washington banned travel to North Korea after the imprisonment and death of student Otto Warmbier. South Koreans traveled to Mount Kumgang at the border until 2008, when a tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier.
