Do you want to travel to North Korea? This month it will open its doors to tourism for the first time …

North Korea is preparing to open up to general tourism for the first time in nearly five years, allowing in foreigners from a variety of countries after closing their borders at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two major tour operators for foreign visitors said on Wednesday that they had received word from their partners in North Korea that The opening of travel would begin in December 2024The tours would initially be based in Samjiyon, near the border with China, and then likely to extend to the rest of the country, Koryo Tours said in a statement.

KTG Tours posted on social media that it was informed that visitors will be able to go to Samjiyon starting this winter.

The Kim Jong Un regime began to ease border restrictions due to the pandemic about a year agobut it had not opened its doors to the tourist groups that were once a source of cash for the state with scarce foreign reserves. Those visitors provided funds that helped the country conduct overseas transactions while it remains isolated from international banking.

Earlier this year, North Korea allowed in a steady stream of Russian tourists, a sign that ties between the neighbors were warming, after the United States and other countries accused Kim of sending weapons to the Kremlin to help President Vladimir Putin attack Ukraine.

North Korean authorities keep a close watch on foreign visitors, who are usually only allowed to stay in accommodations designated for foreigners’ use and have their movements restricted within the country.

“I’m happy to be returning to North Korea after five years,” Nick Bonner, co-founder of Koryo Tours, said in an email.