It may be one of the last countries to let travelers in — and it's not China

In 2008, the nationalist anthems of some North Korea and the United States resonated passim the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre — echoing hopes of a thawing narration betwixt the countries.

The curtains person since agelong closed connected these hopes.

The historical concert, performed by the New York Philharmonic is 1 of Mark Edward Harris' favourite moments of his 10 trips to the "Hermit Kingdom."

Harris, a Los Angeles-based photographer, told CNBC that helium hopes to instrumentality to North Korea soon. 

Covid holdouts successful Asia — specified arsenic Japan and Hong Kong — person relaxed borderline restrictions, but North Korea is expected to support its rules firmly successful place.

Furthermore, North Korea's reopening depends connected 2 countries — China and Russia. Travelers anxious to sojourn it often person to participate done them.

Even if North Korea were to unfastened tomorrow, "neither enactment is available," said Simon Cockerell, wide manager of Koryo Tours, which specializes successful North Korean tourism. He cited the ongoing struggle betwixt Russia and Ukraine and China's strict borderline closures.

North Korean's borderline reopening "entirely relies" connected however China reopens to overseas travelers, said Rowan Beard, a circuit manager astatine Young Pioneer Tours.

"The bulk of tourists going to North Korea spell straight done China," helium said.

If China does not contented tourer visas oregon let tourists to transit done it, it volition beryllium intolerable for Westerners based successful China to spell to Pyongyang, agreed Rayco Vega, wide manager of circuit bureau KTG Tours.

Even arsenic North Korea retreated into its ammunition during the pandemic, request to sojourn ne'er waned, according to respective circuit agencies.

"There has ever been coagulated demand, and it whitethorn adjacent beryllium pent up astatine this point,"  said Cockerell.

North Korea tours marque up much than 90% of Koryo's gross stream, helium said.

Beard agreed, saying travelers inactive nonstop requests to sojourn North Korea.

"I person emails regular from those asking if North Korea has reopened and if they tin go," helium said. "They're connected the waiting list, and erstwhile it does reopen, it's first-come, first-served."

North Korea's tourism gross roseate astir 400% betwixt 2014 and 2019, according to the North Korea investigation database 38 North.

Tours into North Korea comprised astir 75% of his company's concern earlier the pandemic, said Beard. He organized trips for astir 1,200 tourists successful 2019, comprising chiefly Australians, Brits, Canadians, the Dutch and Germans, helium said.

"We could person taken much but the request for question to North Korea was besides successful precocious request with the Chinese market, which made formation and bid tickets incredibly limited," helium said.

With China inactive adhering to its zero-Covid strategy, the circuit agencies that spoke to CNBC estimation that North Korea whitethorn reopen to overseas tourists successful 2024 — or later.

"Our conjecture is that the DPRK volition beryllium 1 of the past countries to fto travelers in," said Vega.

"They volition instrumentality the astir blimpish enactment connected this," Cockerell said. "The state has besides closed for months owed to SARS successful 2003 and Ebola successful 2015, truthful they bash enactment decisively successful the look of pandemics."

He added that a "a European-style relaxed attitude" toward travelers won't travel anytime soon, and expects strict controls to stay successful spot adjacent erstwhile it does reopen.

Beard said helium believes North Korea's reopening volition beryllium a "tedious" one, plagued by Covid testing, tracking apps and look disguise rules, adjacent erstwhile the "rest of the satellite volition person mostly moved on."