Foreign Tourists Flock to Busan[Courtesy of Yonhap News][Courtesy of Yonhap News]
More than 1.02 million international visitors came to Busan in the first quarter alone, setting a record for the fastest-ever arrival at the 1 million mark.
On the 1st, Busan City announced that it recorded 1,023,946 foreign visitors in Q1.
Last year the city didn’t pass 1 million until April; this year it reached that milestone a month earlier.
By nationality, Taiwan topped the list with about 208,000 visitors, followed by China (about 197,000), Japan (about 130,000), the United States (about 81,000) and Vietnam (about 44,000).
Spending by tourists also rose. Foreign visitors spent roughly 235.5 billion KRW (about $176.6 million) during the first quarter, a 26.4% increase from the same period last year.
Busan City cited several drivers behind the surge: intensified cruise tourism marketing, the Visit Busan Pass (a foreigners-only pass that bundles transport, sightseeing and discounts), and easier payments through Line and Alipay.
The city is treating the BTS world tour stop \"Arirang IN Busan\" on June 12–13 as a potential turning point for second-quarter inbound tourism and plans to ramp up efforts to attract more international travelers.
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Ko Hui-hoon (take5@yna.co.kr)
