Busan is clearly emerging as a new hub of tourism in Korea. As both overseas search volume and actual arrivals rise simultaneously, a term describing the Busan travel craze has even emerged abroad.
According to Google Trends data compiled on the 25th, interest in the English search term "Busan" over the past year rose about 50 percent compared with the previous year. Searches for the Chinese-character spelling "釜山" also increased by around 40 percent year-on-year. Google Trends is a service that shows changes in interest in specific terms by period and region based on accumulated search data.
Interest in Busan was particularly pronounced in Northeast Asian countries. Search interest in Japan rose 190 percent from a year earlier, while Taiwan saw an 80 percent increase. In a survey conducted last year by the Taiwanese travel platform Kkday, Busan was ranked the second most preferred travel destination after Osaka. Numerous videos of the night view from the Hwangnyeongsan beacon tower and photos of the Gamcheon Culture Village posted by foreigners can also be found on social media such as Instagram.
Visitor statistics support the same trend. According to data from the Busan Tourism Organization, 460,683 foreigners visited Busan last May, up 42.9 percent from 322,474 in the same month last year. Cumulative visitors this year reached 1,936,572, an increase of around 40 percent from the previous year. During the same period, Busan's share of the 8,716,791 total foreign arrivals to Korea stood at 22.2 percent, up from 19.2 percent last year.
By nationality, Taiwan accounted for the largest share at 19.4 percent, followed by China at 18.6 percent. Adding Hong Kong (3.1 percent), Greater China tourists exceeded 40 percent. Japan ranked third at 12.1 percent, and the United States fourth at 8.8 percent.
The industry expects this trend to continue in the second half of the year. In a survey of 404 local tourism industry workers conducted by the Busan Tourism Organization from the 15th to the 26th of last month, 47 percent of respondents anticipated an increase in foreign tourists in the third quarter.
Tourism industry officials analyze that Busan's competitiveness has grown as travel demand moves away from Seoul and disperses to regional areas such as Gyeongju and Sokcho, combined with its well-organized transportation infrastructure, its location as a coastal city, and cultural content such as the Busan International Film Festival. Accessibility is also cited as a strength for tourists from neighboring countries. In addition to entering through Incheon or Gimpo and using the KTX, they can directly use Gimhae Airport and Busan Port.
For cruise travelers, Busan is also one option among ports of call. Representative routes include one that departs from Shanghai, China, passes through Jeju, and arrives in Busan, as well as one linking Busan with Nagasaki, Japan, and Keelung, Taiwan.
