North Korea in the spotlight
The launch of a new online resource dedicated to travel to North Korea aims to offer travellers a “very real” step back in time to a Cold War destination.
London-based Uniquely.Travel today launches Northkoreatravel.com which offers up-to-date and reliable information to make a visit to the destination “easy, affordable and enriching”, according to director Chad O’Carroll.
The site has received no funding from the national tourism board, and instead operates through app downloads and commissions from sales generated through the site.
O’Carroll landed the role of managing the project due to his extensive knowledge of the destination, having first visited in 2009, and since setting up nknews.org – a news portal dedicated to the country.
“As someone who has travelled to North Korea a few times and has a good network of contacts in both the North Korea watching community and tourism fields, I thought it would therefore be relatively easy to make a very polished and comprehensive North Korea app,” he told Travel Today.
He reported strong demand for travel to the destination, despite its negative image. “North Korea stimulates more interest from the general public than any other developing country in the world,” he said.
“For many, North Korea has a moon-like quality and as a result, few foreigners even know it is possible to visit. Americans largely believe they are not welcome, and that visiting is illegal. And for those who know they can actually visit, only a small minority know just how widely you can travel inside the DPRK, believing only that the major monuments of Pyongyang are open to visitors.
“But for the first time the app — and map data — shows just how much of the country is open.” The country’s key drawcards are range from small villages rarely visited by even the local North Korean guides, to stunning nature spots in the far-reaches of the country, O’Connell revealed.
The new represents the first time all of North Korea's tourist infrastructure has been accurately mapped out. “This GPS data has never once been revealed.” However, he admitted that concerns over travel to the destination are legitimate.
“It is fair to say that tourism does indeed help the North Korean regime: it provides Pyongyang with foreign currency that in reality, we have no way of knowing how is used,” he said.
“That money flows to the NK regime without accountability. It could be used for anything Pyongyang wishes.” Iran and Libya are among the next destinations that Uniquely.Travel will tackle will similar apps.
Although perhaps equally controversial as tourism destinations, O’Carroll believes they are a strong fit for the customers of its North Korea app.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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