Foreign tourists discover Busan
Date: 2023-07-01 Author: Karina Ziganova Categories: TRAVELS
Foreign tourists' credit card spending is currently outpacing Seoul and Jeju Island, as individual foreign travelers are guided by Instagram rather than the efforts of the Korea Tourism Organization, which tends to focus on shopping hotspots.
BC Card analyzed foreign tourists' credit card spending from January to May and found that the amount of transactions in Busan increased 11.9 times compared to last year. Even taking into account the surge after the lockdown was lifted, the growth is notable among Korean destinations.
Spending by foreigners increased about eightfold in Seoul and quadrupled on Jeju Island, while the national average increased sevenfold.
The number of flights to Busan from abroad has increased significantly, while large cruise ships have also begun to dock at the port again.
According to the Busan Port Authority, no cruise ship docked in Busan during the coronavirus pandemic from 2020 to 2022, but from March to May of this year, 46 cruise ships docked there, each carrying thousands of passengers. A total of 101 cruise ships are scheduled to arrive this year, almost equal to the number of cruise ships seen in 2019 before the pandemic.
According to the Busan Tourism Organization, about 260,000 foreigners visited the city in the first quarter of this year.
Last month, Busan firmly established itself on the map among K-pop fans, hosting a concert that featured many bands promoting the city's bid to host the 2030 World's Fair, while BTS fans visited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their idols because members Jung Kook and Ji Min hail from Busan.
Katrina Walbauer, 23, from Vienna, visited Korea for the first time late last year. An avid BTS fan, she was so impressed that she wants to return. "I bought another plane ticket to Korea for the next month," Waltbauer said. "I plan to go to Busan and this time as part of the BTS pilgrimage."
A KTO employee said, "The improved accessibility and K-pop effect make Busan a leading tourist destination."
