The Busan Metropolitan Government is partnering with a global online travel platform to attract more international tourists. The strategy combines accommodation discounts and content marketing to extend visitor stays and boost spending. The city announced on June 6 that it will pursue joint marketing with Agoda.
The project is the first initiative following a tourism cooperation agreement signed at the Global City Tourism Summit in October last year. It focuses on strengthening the global competitiveness of Busan's tourism brand by leveraging the rapidly growing online travel platform. Target markets are Japan, the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Under the theme "Unforgettable Busan," the city will promote not only signature destinations such as Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches and Gamcheon Culture Village but also night, ecological and experiential tourism content. The plan is to present a multidimensional view of the city by combining nighttime attractions such as the Hwangnyeongsan Beacon Observatory and the Gwangalli Drone Light Show, ecological resources including Geumjeongsan National Park and Nakdonggang Eco Park, and experiential offerings such as the Songdo Marine Cable Car and Haeundae Beach Train.
From June 6 through July 20, the city will also offer accommodation discounts targeting approximately 50,000 foreign tourists visiting Busan. Visitors who book local accommodations through the Agoda platform will receive up to a 5% discount, capped at 12,000 won. Combined with additional discount coupons from the platform and participating lodging operators, total savings can reach up to 15%.
The city plans to leverage the global OTA's data and distribution network to directly attract tailored tourism demand from each target country. "The number of foreign tourists visiting Busan reached 3.64 million last year," a city official said. "We will widely promote the charms of Busan as a global tourism hub city to foreign tourists and inject vitality into the tourism market."