[imText1]The Arirang Mass Games are scheduled to be held this year from August 10 to September 30. To attract international attention to the games, the North Korean authorities have urged related agencies to invite foreign tourists.
A related document, which The Daily NK collected today, states that, “Related offices were informed of the scheduled performances of Arirang in mid July.”
According to the schedule, tour packages that include the Arirang fall into six types: general three day excursions; special three day trips; general four days excursions; special four day trips; five day and eight day tours. Publicity is targeted at Koreans residing in Japan, China, Russia, the U.S. and Australia, and foreigners.
The costs of the performances are 300 Euros for special seats; 150 Euros for first class of seats; 100 Euros for second class; and 80 Euros for third class. All of the expenses, including lodging; visa issuance; transport and service costs are spelt out in this document.
Round tickets from Shenyang, China to Pyongyang cost $295 and tickets from Shenyang, Pyongyang to Beijing is $365. A visa is $100 for American citizens, $43 for Australians, $44 for New Zealanders and $45 for those of South Korean nationality.
Foreign tourists have a choice of staying the Yangkakdo Hotel and Koryo Hotel. The price for the standard service is 200 Euros including interpretation, visiting tourist spots and domestic transport. Discounts for groups apply; two to five as a group is 150 Euros and more than ten is 100 Euros.
There are extra costs for transport, either by bus or chartered plane, to the tourist spot of Mt. Baekdu. A bus for 40 is 300 Euros and a chartered plane to visit Mt. Baekdu for 35 people is 3,500 Euros and for 50-100 people it is 5,500 Euros.
There are four kinds of tours: the Pyongyang to Nampo course, which boasts the well-known West Sea Floodgate; the Pyongyang to Yangsan course, featuring the International Friendship Museum in Mt. Myohang, the Bohyun Temple and hiking of Manpok-dong; and the Pyongyang to Kaesong course which features the Korea Museum, the Kaesong historic remains and the Wonsan beach.
Last year’s Arirang performance ran from August 10 to October 17, so this year’s duration of the performance was reduced by 17 days. Performances this year will finish by the end of September, probably due to the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Party on August 10.
The Arirang, in which around 100,000 persons perform, was launched in 2002 on the 90th birthday of Kim Il Sung. The Arirang has been held every year since then with the exception of 2005 and 2006 when floods prevented it,.
