The large-scale hot spring, spa and sports resort is the second of its kind created by the state
North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, has opened a large-scale hot spring and spa resort – called Yangdok County Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center – in a bid to drive tourism into the country.
The resort is home to indoor and outdoor hot-spring bathing, and multi-functional sports and cultural facilities. It also offers skiing and horse-riding.
Kim says: “It’s a very happy event to provide the new hot spring culture to the people, but it’s also pleasing to find that soldiers of the People’s Army created such civilisation with their own hands. It’s absolutely perfect.”
The Yangdok centre is the second mountain spa resort unveiled by Kim, the first is located in Samjiyon and was hailed by Kim as the “epitome of modern civilisation”. The state is also developing a coastal resort in Wonsan.
These projects come as a result of the economy being constricted by UN sanctions following tensions with foreign governments relating to North Korea’s nuclear weapons policy and human rights breaches. This has led the government to focus on inbound tourism opportunities appealing to its Chinese and South Korean neighbours.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 1
Editor's letter: Time to shine
As spas reach peak revenues, now’s the time for our industry to act as a catalyst in working out how we measure the impact of an experience and the ‘return on wellness’ says Spa Business' editor Katie Barnes
Promotional feature: TechnoAlpin
If you want to deliver a hot and cold experience as part of your wellness programme, adding a snowroom will introduce a delightful and more gentle form of cold therapy, as Sara Brenninger explains
Trends: Spa Foresight™
Climate emergency, gen alpha and brain optimisation are among Spa Business’ latest trend predictions
Promotional feature: The Wellness
Investing in children’s facilities gives a spa and wellness offering a competitive edge, as well as helping the next generation achieve their potential, explains Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of industry design and consultancy practice, The Wellness
Promotional feature: RKF Luxury Linen
As a symbol of luxury, innovation and quality in the world of spa and hospitality, much of RKF Luxury Linen’s success comes from its highly client-centric design process, says CEO Riadh Bouaziz
Design: Heat of the moment
From giant golden eggs and converted ski lifts to rustic, hand-crafted huts, we showcase the latest in heat experience design and innovations
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
RKF Luxury Linen
RKF Luxury Linen, established in the East of France for several decades, owns an artisanal know-how [more...]
The large-scale hot spring, spa and sports resort is the second of its kind created by the state
North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, has opened a large-scale hot spring and spa resort – called Yangdok County Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center – in a bid to drive tourism into the country.
The resort is home to indoor and outdoor hot-spring bathing, and multi-functional sports and cultural facilities. It also offers skiing and horse-riding.
Kim says: “It’s a very happy event to provide the new hot spring culture to the people, but it’s also pleasing to find that soldiers of the People’s Army created such civilisation with their own hands. It’s absolutely perfect.”
The Yangdok centre is the second mountain spa resort unveiled by Kim, the first is located in Samjiyon and was hailed by Kim as the “epitome of modern civilisation”. The state is also developing a coastal resort in Wonsan.
These projects come as a result of the economy being constricted by UN sanctions following tensions with foreign governments relating to North Korea’s nuclear weapons policy and human rights breaches. This has led the government to focus on inbound tourism opportunities appealing to its Chinese and South Korean neighbours.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 1
Editor's letter: Time to shine
As spas reach peak revenues, now’s the time for our industry to act as a catalyst in working out how we measure the impact of an experience and the ‘return on wellness’ says Spa Business' editor Katie Barnes
Promotional feature: TechnoAlpin
If you want to deliver a hot and cold experience as part of your wellness programme, adding a snowroom will introduce a delightful and more gentle form of cold therapy, as Sara Brenninger explains
Trends: Spa Foresight™
Climate emergency, gen alpha and brain optimisation are among Spa Business’ latest trend predictions
Promotional feature: The Wellness
Investing in children’s facilities gives a spa and wellness offering a competitive edge, as well as helping the next generation achieve their potential, explains Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of industry design and consultancy practice, The Wellness
Promotional feature: RKF Luxury Linen
As a symbol of luxury, innovation and quality in the world of spa and hospitality, much of RKF Luxury Linen’s success comes from its highly client-centric design process, says CEO Riadh Bouaziz
Design: Heat of the moment
From giant golden eggs and converted ski lifts to rustic, hand-crafted huts, we showcase the latest in heat experience design and innovations
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England
with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’
concept.
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of
total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth
in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real
Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
Lefay Resorts, the portfolio of two luxury wellness properties in Italy, has added emotional
dance classes and group cold plunge sessions in response to market demand for social
connection.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
Contrast therapy, based on the alternation of hot and cold rituals, has become one of the
most valued practices in the fields of wellness and recovery. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
RKF Luxury Linen RKF Luxury Linen, established in the East of France for several decades, owns an artisanal know-how [more...]
