SHENYANG, July 11 -- Chinese tourists are being offered the chance to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) without a passport, thanks to a new tour package launched in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Since July 9, the program has allowed tourists to travel from the border city of Dandong to have a half-day stay in Sinuiju of the DPRK. They only need to apply for an entry permit with their ID cards in Dandong and go through border inspection in the DPRK before starting the trip, according to the organizer, Dandong China International Travel Service.

Visitors need to pay 350 yuan (52 U.S. dollars) for each trip and can travel around a designated zone measuring 30,000 square meters. During the first three days of the deal being offered, some 1,000 Chinese have applied for an entry permit, according to Quan Shunji, general manager of Dandong China International Travel Service.

Quan said the travel zone will be expanded to 130,000 square meters in the future, allowing it to receive 10,000 tourists per day during peak seasons.

Facing Sinuiju across the Yalu River, Dandong sees over 10,000 tourists traveling to the DPRK from its port every year.