Two tourism companies have revealed that North Korea will open its doors to international visitors by the end of 2024, after a prolonged halt on tourism.

KTG Tours and Koryo Tours have both announced that travel will be restricted to Samjiyon, a city in North Korea situated near the Chinese border.

Koryo Tours stated, “We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon, and potentially to other parts of the country, will officially resume in December 2024. After over four years of waiting, Koryo Tours is thrilled about the opportunity to reintroduce tourism to North Korea.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Samjiyon was a favored destination for Chinese tourists, contributing valuable foreign revenue to the financially isolated nation.

Although official North Korean sources have not yet confirmed the reopening, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently visited construction sites in Samjiyon and has previously expressed a preference for welcoming visitors from what he terms “friendly” countries, like China and Russia.

Since the pandemic began, North Korea has kept its borders closed to tourists, with the exception of 100 Russian visitors permitted entry in February.

Typically, foreign tourists in North Korea are subject to close supervision by authorities, with interactions limited to selected citizens and stays confined to designated hotels.