Busan achieves long-sought goal, surpasses 3 mil. foreign visitors

People watch fireworks during the 20th Busan Fireworks Festival at Gwangalli Beach in Busan, Nov. 15. Yonhap

For the first time, the number of foreign tourists visiting Busan exceeded 3 million this year, reaching a long-awaited milestone for the southern port city after more than a decade of effort.

The Busan Metropolitan Government reported that foreign visitor arrivals hit 3.02 million in October this year. The city had set a target of 3 million tourists back in 2012, but the previous high was 2.96 million in 2016. Numbers subsequently fell below 2 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The milestone was driven by increased investment in the city’s global tourism strategy, the expansion of cruise travel, the promotion of culinary tourism, the opening of summer beaches, broader use of the Visit Busan Pass (a prepaid travel card offering discounts on attractions and transportation), and efforts to attract international events,” a city official said.

As of September this year, foreign visitors to Busan spent a cumulative 755.6 billion won ($514 million).

By category, foreign visitors’ spending was led by shopping, which accounted for 52 percent, followed by food and beverages at 18 percent, leisure services at 12.4 percent, medical and wellness services at 8.5 percent and lodging at 8.4 percent.

Of the 2.67 million foreign visitors recorded through September, Taiwan accounted for the largest share at 18.9 percent, followed by China, Japan, the United States, the Philippines, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

According to a survey conducted by the city of 1,060 foreign visitors last year, 58.5 percent chose Gwangalli Beach as their top destination, followed by Busan International Film Festival Square at 55.5 percent, and Gamcheon Culture Village at 55.2 percent.

Natural scenery topped the list of reasons for visiting Busan at 81.7 percent, followed closely by food and local cuisine at 81.3 percent. Meanwhile 84.8 percent of respondents said they would like to visit the city again.

Last year, the city also set a record as a medical tourism destination, welcoming approximately 30,000 foreign patients — the highest number since the launch of its medical tourism initiative in 2009.