The authorities of Primorye Krai, a region in Russia’s Far East, announced on Wednesday that they have launched ski tours in North Korea, the first of their kind ever organized by Russia, The Moscow Times reported.

Masikryong ski resort in North KoreaPhoto: Ed Jones/AFP/Profimedia Images

“Would you like to visit one of the most interesting and mysterious countries in the world, North Korea?” asked the Primorye regional government in a message shared on Russian social networks.

“Then hurry to pack your bags for a 5-day vacation,” the message says, adding that the first group of tourists to sign up will take advantage of a “unique offer” on February 9.

The local government’s international cooperation agency said the five-day stay at the Masikryong ski resort in North Korea will be part of a tour package that includes flights between Vladivostok and Pyongyang, as well as the port city of Wonsan.

Applicants will be accommodated in 4- and 5-star hotels, the total cost of accommodation will be 750 dollars, reports TASS with reference to the local authorities of Primorye.

Russian tourists invited to North Korea after Europe closed their doors

Masikryong is the first ski resort built on the orders of Kim Jong Un with the express purpose of making a profit by attracting foreign tourists.

Oleh Kozhemyako, head of the Primorye region, said he applauded North Korean representatives for organizing these stays during Kim Jong-un’s visit to Russia last September.

At the time, Kozhemiako publicly urged parents in the region he leads to send their children to so-called “pioneer camps” in North Korea, a proposal that did not sit well with many.

Russian authorities and travel agencies have been scrambling for the past two years to find alternative destinations for the country’s residents, after some of their favorites became inaccessible due to the closure of EU airspace to Russian aircraft immediately after the invasion of Ukraine began. .

Later, other European countries, such as Greece, took additional measures to prevent Russian tourists from entering their territory through third countries, such as Turkey.