Busan has broken the capital-area-centered structure of the foreign tourism spending market to rise to Korea's second-largest spending city. As the axis of foreign spending, once concentrated in Seoul and elsewhere, shifts toward Busan, the city's tourism districts, previously centered on Haeundae, are spreading across the entire downtown, marking a qualitative change in Busan tourism.
According to credit card big data from the Korea Tourism Organization's Tourism Data Lab and the city of Busan on the 30th, card spending by foreign tourists who visited Busan from January to June this year totaled 591.42 billion won. That is a 63.0% increase from 362.141 billion won in the same period last year.
Busan's growth rate exceeded the national average of 55.0%. Over the same period, Seoul rose 57.0%, Incheon 44.0%, and Gyeonggi 34.0%. As a result, Busan ranked second among the country's 17 metropolitan cities and provinces by card spending, behind Seoul at 5.61724 trillion won. The figure surpassed both Incheon at 544.466 billion won and Gyeonggi at 526.413 billion won, which have served as gateways to the capital region.
Particularly notable is the spatial spread of foreign tourism spending. In the past, foreign spending in Busan was concentrated in some coastal tourist areas such as Haeundae, but this year, spending hubs have diversified to areas including Seomyeon and Gijang.
Haeundae-gu, which accounted for 32.7% of Busan's foreign card spending in the first half of last year, saw its share fall to 25.9% in the first half of this year. In contrast, Busanjin-gu, home to the Seomyeon area, rose to become the largest spending district with a 26.7% share. Gijang-gun, which features the Osiria Tourism Complex and large shopping facilities, followed with 13.6%.
As foreign spending expands to Seomyeon, where medical and shopping infrastructure is concentrated, and to Gijang, which offers gourmet, resort, and experience-type content, Busan's tourism spending structure, once dependent on specific areas, is spreading across the entire city.
The rise in tourists was also clear. The number of foreign tourists who visited Busan in the first half of this year was 2,420,629, up 43.9% from 1,682,415 in the same period last year, a record high.
In particular, a large event held in Busan in June served as a catalyst for foreign inflows and expanded spending. During the single month of June, 484,057 foreigners visited Busan, a monthly record high.
From June 8 to 14, the run of the "BTS World Tour Arirang IN Busan" concert, the foreign floating population within a 3-kilometer radius of Busan Asiad Main Stadium reached 730,000, a 341.9% surge from the previous week. Foreign card sales in the surrounding area also rose 114.8% to 548 million won, from 255 million won the previous week.
With the spending effect extending beyond the concert to linked tourism content such as Haeundae and Gwangalli, analysts say Busan is growing into a global tourism platform that draws foreigners through large events and connects them to local spending.
A Busan city official said, "This achievement shows that Busan is establishing itself as a global tourism city where spending occurs, not simply a place to visit." The official added, "We will continue qualitative growth, including not only an increase in the number of tourists but also longer stays and a more balanced spread of spending across districts."
