UNWTO´s Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific (RPAP) in collaboration with the National Tourism Administration of the Democratic People´s Republic of (DPR) Korea organized a workshop on tourism marketing in the country´s capital Pyongyang on 8 October with the aim of enhancing the country´s competitiveness as a tourism destination in the ever changing Asia Pacific Region.

Harry Hwang, Deputy Director RPAP, along with UNWTO consultant Jens Thraenhart travelled to DPR Korea to provide suggestions and recommendations to the country´s tourism leaders.

After participating in a three day organized technical tour of Pyongyang, Nampo and Kaesong, Mr. Hwang and Mr. Thraenhart held a workshop for National Tourism Administration officials and travel agency representatives on how to best develop efficient tourism policies to attract high-end tourists from Europe and South East Asia.

Areas of discussion during the workshop were simplifying visa-issuing procedures, attracting foreign carriers to Pyongyang, and promoting the attractiveness of the rail trip from Beijing to Pyongyang. There were also suggestions for DPRK’s government at the highest level to consider formulating a National Tourism Policy Statement underlining its support for tourism development and growth as a key industry within the overall economy and identifying the preferred means of implementing this policy.

The UNWTO task force also suggested DPRK to keep close relationships with international organizations like UNWTO and PATA in particular as many destinations engage in cooperation to achieve their tourism objectives.

¨This trip was a great opportunity for UNWTO to support DPR Korea in enhancing its competitiveness as a tourism destination, ¨ said Mr. Hwang. ¨There are quite a few tourists currently visiting DPR Korea, especially from Chin,a and UNWTO was able to not only share the latest data on global tourism trends but also outline UNWTO´s upcoming programme of work in the region, including possible further collaboration with the country and ways that DPR can be involved with UNWTO´s events.¨

The workshop also included productive Q&A session.