Taiwan and China Account for Over Half of Foreign Tourists in Busan as City Nears 3 Million Visitors

3 Million Foreign Visitors Expected Two Months Earlier Than Last Year


"73.2% of the Annual Target of 4 Million Achieved"


7.42 Billion Won in Foreign Card Spending in Busan Through July

The number of foreign tourists visiting Busan in just seven months has nearly reached 2.93 million. As of early August, the city was expected to surpass the 3 million mark, which would come about two months earlier than last year.

According to Busan Metropolitan City, 2,927,674 foreign tourists visited the city from January to July this year, as announced on September 4.

This figure already accounts for 73.2% of the city's annual target of attracting 4 million foreign visitors. It marks a 46.1% increase compared to the same period last year, which is 24.8 percentage points higher than the national growth rate of 21.3%.

In July alone, 507,045 people visited Busan, an increase from 484,057 in June. The city set new monthly records for foreign visitors for two consecutive months. In July, 24.2% of all foreign tourists to Korea visited Busan, meaning that one in four foreign tourists in the country chose the city as their destination.

The city is on the verge of surpassing 3 million foreign visitors. As of the end of July, only around 72,000 more tourists were needed to reach that milestone. Considering that recent monthly figures have been in the 400,000–500,000 range, the city is expected to break the 3 million barrier in early August.

Last year was the first time Busan’s annual number of foreign tourists exceeded 3 million, with that milestone being reached in October. This year, the record is anticipated to be broken about two months earlier.

By country, visitors from Taiwan and China made up the largest groups. In July, there were 128,000 tourists from Taiwan and 125,000 from China, followed by 49,000 from Japan and 4,000 from the United States.

The number of Taiwanese tourists increased by 88.3% compared to the same month last year, while Chinese visitors increased by 80.3%. Together, these two countries accounted for 49.9% of all international arrivals to Busan in July.

For the cumulative period of January to July, Taiwan led with 605,000 visitors, followed by China with 594,000, and Japan with 340,000. The growth in U.S. visitors was also remarkable, with 259,675 Americans visiting Busan during the same period, an increase of 78.4% year-over-year. This growth rate is significantly higher than the national U.S. inbound growth rate of 11.6%.

Gimhae International Airport played a significant role. In the first half of the year, 1,014,341 foreigners entered Korea through Gimhae Airport, marking a 46.6% increase compared to the previous year. This was the highest among the four regional airports of Cheongju, Daegu, Gimhae, and Jeju.

Of those entering through Gimhae Airport, 50.2% stayed in Busan, while 47.9% traveled to nearby areas such as Gyeongnam and Ulsan. Only 1.9% traveled on to the Seoul metropolitan area.

The surge in foreign tourists has also led to increased spending. From January to July, foreign credit card spending in Busan totaled 742.3 billion won, up 50.8% from the same period last year. This ranks second in the nation, just behind Seoul.

Medical tourism spending soared by 118.4%, accounting for 37.0% of the nation's medical tourism spending outside Seoul, making Busan the top destination in this segment as well. The city plans to continue attracting visitors in the second half of the year.

Starting in September, Busan Global City Week will kick off a series of major events, with “Festival October” taking place across the city in October. The Busan International Rock Festival, Busan UN Week, and the Global City Tourism Summit will also be held in succession.

Gimhae International Airport and Busan Station will introduce “Visit Busan Pass” kiosks. In addition, the city, in collaboration with its 16 districts and counties, will upgrade its tourist information systems at major attractions.

Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo stated, “Now, what matters is not how many people come but how long they stay and how deeply they experience the city.” He emphasized, “We will work to extend visitors’ stays and ensure that the economic benefits of tourism spread throughout all areas of Busan.”

Busan City Hall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.