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| Busan city tour bus / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City Hall |
By Ko Dong-hwan
The port city of Busan ― home of the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball League ― is aiming to attract over 3.1 million foreign tourists this year.
The nation's second-largest city unveiled its grand plan on Tuesday, involving the city's signature handmade noodles, fish cakes, tourist hotspots and other ideas, to realize the goal.
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| Gamcheon Cultura Village / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City Hall |
According to the plan, Busan will step outside its home turf to attract foreigners in their own countries, establishing offices in Beijing, Taipei and Osaka. The city is attempting to lure more than just Chinese tourists, who have made up the bulk of foreign visitors to Busan. The city has its sights on people from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.
Updating cruise ship routes with shorter travel days is also being discussed, according to the Financial News.
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| Sand Festival at Haeundae Beach / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City Hall |
A Busan official said the city attracted 11 million Korean visitors and 2.9 million foreign tourists and recorded 4.1 trillion won ($36 billion) in revenue in the past year alone, "proving the city's tourism industry has increased tremendously."
"We plan to raise the city's reputation as an international tourism city by expanding tourism infrastructure and developing tourism content," the official said.
The city will provide foreigners with better access to more places. It will boost the promotion of filming locations, must-visit places at night and seasonal festivals that can prolong visitors' stays.
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| Songdo Skywalk |
Visitors will have more fun exploring the city as Busan upgrades the "foreigners' shopping block" by adding Jagalchi Traditional Market to the list. The city also will build a monorail at Taejongdae Resort Park and a cable car at Songdo Beach.
Sea-Side Complex Town at Youngdo shipyard, the "Green Railway," made from recycled trash, and information booth-coffee shops are some of the newly introduced city projects ready to greet foreigners this year.
Busan is just over two-and-a-half hours from Seoul on the high-speed KTX train. The city has long attracted domestic tourists eager for ocean views, seafood and easy access to Jeju Island.
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