Foreign visitors

North Korea Bans Foreigners from New Seaside Resort After Opening

Following the opening of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone, a resort designed to bolster tourism, North Korea has temporarily banned foreign visitors. The ban comes shortly after the arrival of the first Russian tourists and a meeting between Kim Jong Un and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This new resort, with a capacity of 20,000 people, features hotels, restaurants, and a water park along a 4km beachfront. The decision to restrict foreign access follows a pattern of abruptly halting tourism, as seen with Western tourists earlier this year.

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Trump Dismissive of US Tourism Plunge: A Big Deal for Others, Not Him

Despite a nearly 10 percent drop in foreign visitors to the U.S. in March compared to the previous year, President Trump downplayed concerns, attributing the decline to minor nationalism and a relatively weak dollar. JPMorgan estimates this decrease in tourism equates to a $29 billion loss in GDP, primarily due to Trump’s tariffs, exacerbated by incidents of foreign visitor detentions. These detentions, such as the cases of two German backpackers deported from Hawaii, have fueled concerns about potential negative impacts on tourism. The administration attempted to alleviate these concerns, but their messaging has been inconsistent and ineffective.

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