The number of foreign tourists in Busan exceeds 3 million in 8 months... two months early
Quick Look
- The number of foreign tourists who visited Busan from January to August this year was counted at 3,434,620, an increase of 45.9% compared to the same period last year.
- The increase in tourists from the United States, Australia, and France was notable, with French tourists in particular increasing by 111.3%.
- In addition to improving accessibility, Busan City plans to pursue policies focused on extending the period of stay and increasing the repeat visit rate starting in the second half of the year.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Last year, the number of annual foreign tourists exceeded 3 million for the first time in Busan, and by August of this year, it had already surpassed this number.
45.9% increase from the previous year… Significant increase in U.S. and French tourists
(Busan = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Seon-ho = The number of foreign tourists who visited Busan as of August this year exceeded 3.43 million. This is about two months earlier than when the number of annual foreign tourists exceeded 3 million for the first time last year.
Busan City announced on the 7th that the number of foreign tourists who visited Busan from January to August this year was counted at 3,434,620.
This is a 45.9% increase from 2,354,267 people in the same period last year. It is more than twice the national growth rate of 21.6% during the same period.
By country, the increase in tourists from the United States, Australia, and France was notable.
The number of American tourists who visited Busan during this period was 289,382, a 76.1% increase from the 164,347 who visited during the same period last year. Compared to the national growth rate of 10.8%, this is a growth rate approximately 7 times higher.
48,455 Australian tourists visited Busan, a 43.5% increase from last year's 33,775, and 38,941 French tourists visited Busan, a 111.3% increase from the previous year's 18,431.
The number of Russian tourists visiting Busan also increased by 16.5%.
The city sees this trend not as the peak of quantitative expansion, but as a point of transition to qualitative growth.
Accessibility to Busan has also improved with the integrated operation of KTX and SRT since last month.
The number of passengers using Busan Station in one month was 2,017,000, an increase of 8.9% compared to the same month last year.
Starting in the second half of the year, Busan City plans to pursue policies that focus on extending the period of stay, expanding local consumption, and increasing revisit rates rather than simply expanding attraction.
Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said, “We will make the city a city where tourists who visit once stay longer, spend more, and come back again.”
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Starting in the second half of the year, Busan City will pursue a tourism policy focused on extending the period of stay and increasing the repeat visit rate.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What are the specific details of the tourism policy for the second half of the year?
- What are the specific incentives to extend stay and increase revisit rate?
