Busan-Taiwan flights surge as city captures Taiwanese tourists' hearts
Summary
Busan-Taiwan flights are surging as Taiwanese tourists continue to drive strong demand for the southeastern port city. Korea Airports Corp. said 6,609 flights operated on the route through July, matching all of 2024 and reaching 82.9 percent of 2025’s total. Passenger traffic topped 1.14 million through July, while Taiwanese visitors remained Busan’s largest foreign tourist group. Busan and Taipei tourism agencies have also stepped up marketing and cooperation.
Key Facts
- Korea Airports Corp. said 6,609 flights operated between Busan and Taiwan through July this year, equal to the full-year total for 2024.
- Passenger traffic on the route exceeded 1.14 million through July, above the 1.06 million recorded in 2024 but below the 1.33 million in 2025.
- Taiwanese visitors accounted for about 605,000 of Busan’s 2.93 million foreign tourists through July this year.
- Busan Tourism Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with Taipei’s Department of Information and Tourism in June to boost tourism exchanges.
- The Taiwan Tourism Administration held a roadshow in Busan last month to encourage Koreans to visit.
Beachgoers enjoy the water at Haeundae Beach in Busan, July, 2, when the year's first heat wave advisory was issued for the city. Newsis
Flights between Busan and Taiwan are surging as more Taiwanese tourists visit the southeastern port city, reflecting strong demand from Taiwan, Busan's top source of foreign tourists in recent years.
According to Korea Airports Corp. aviation statistics released Sunday, a total of 6,609 flights operated between Busan and Taiwan this year through July, equaling the total for all of 2024 and already reaching 82.9 percent of the 7,976 flights recorded in 2025.
Passenger traffic on the route reached more than 1.14 million through July this year, surpassing the 1.06 million passengers recorded in 2024 but slightly below the 1.33 million in 2025.
Starlux Airlines and EVA Airways are among the Taiwanese carriers that have launched new routes to Busan, while Korean airlines have also increased their flights. The expansion is driven by the lack of traffic rights restrictions on the route, which lets airlines add flights relatively freely, as well as higher passenger occupancy rates as more Taiwanese tourists fly to the city.
Taiwanese visitors accounted for the largest share of foreign tourists to Busan through July this year at about 605,000, out of 2.93 million. Last year, Busan drew a record 3.64 million foreign tourists, with Taiwanese visitors topping the list at more than 687,800, or 18.9 percent of the total.
Taiwanese tourists first topped Busan's foreign visitor rankings in 2024 with 500,456 arrivals.
Busan's appeal to Taiwanese travelers is attributed to its food, its mix of mountains and sea, easy travel access and ample direct flights, with rising visitor numbers and expanding routes feeding off each other.
Local governments on both sides have also stepped up tourism marketing. The Busan Tourism Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with Taipei's Department of Information and Tourism in June to boost tourism exchanges, and has run campaigns to draw repeat Taiwanese visitors.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration held a roadshow in Busan last month to encourage Koreans to visit.
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