Busan is good

Busan Welcomes 2 Million Foreign Tourists, Launches Comprehensive Inspections Ahead of Major Fall Events

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it would hold a “Tourism Readiness Inspection Meeting for the Peak Event Season” at 9:00 AM today (18th) in the 12th floor small conference room of City Hall, chaired by Mayor Park.

This meeting was convened to build on the momentum of surpassing 2 million foreign visitors to Busan in record time and to further accelerate tourism revitalization during the September–November peak event season by jointly inspecting preparations for welcoming guests.

Attendees included Mayor Park, deputy mayors, bureau and office directors, the Busan Tourism Organization, and representatives from private sector associations.

<Meeting Overview> 

- Date/Time & Venue: September 18, 2025 (Thu), 9:00–10:00, Small Conference Room 1, 12th Floor, Busan City Hall 

- Attendees: Mayor (chair), deputy mayors, bureau/office directors, Busan Tourism Organization, private sector associations (Busan Tourism Association, Korea Hotel Association Busan Chapter, Korea Foodservice Industry Association Busan Chapter, Korea Entertainment Food Association Busan Chapter)

At the meeting, the city reviewed preparation status and coordinated measures across various areas to ensure smooth execution of events such as Festival Siwol, the Busan International Rock Festival, the Busan Fireworks Festival, the Busan International Film Festival, G-Star, the National Sports Festival, and the Seven Bridges Tour.

Preparations focused on the following sectors:

• ●Major Events: Busan International Film Festival (Sep. 17–26), Festival Siwol (Sep. 21–Oct. 3), Seven Bridges Tour (Sep. 21), Busan International Rock Festival (Sep. 26–28), the 106th National Sports Festival (Oct. 17–23) and National Para Games (Oct. 31–Nov. 5), G-Star (Nov. 13–16), and Busan Fireworks Festival (Nov. 15). The city aims to increase tourist stays and urban tourism demand by maintaining the distinct identities of each event while fostering integration and linkages.

• ●Accommodation/Food Services: Hygiene inspections of restaurants and lodging facilities, surveys of convenience amenities, industry pledges for voluntary improvements, and joint campaigns to promote hygiene, hospitality, and price stabilization. These measures, carried out through strengthened public-private cooperation, will enhance services across the board and reduce visitor inconvenience.

• ●Transportation: To improve mobility for citizens and tourists, the city will expand foreign-language public transportation information, intensify crackdowns on illegal parking and unauthorized taxi operations, and enhance service through driver courtesy training. In particular, for the 20th Busan Fireworks Festival, comprehensive transport measures include 246 additional metro trains, securing 3,730 parking spaces across 98 sites, and strengthening advance announcements on traffic control zones.

• ●Safety/Medical Services: Safety management plans for festivals and events will be inspected, with improvement measures prepared. Joint inspections and safety patrols will be conducted, rapid response to foodborne illness will be reinforced, public-private emergency medical systems will be established, and fire safety inspections of lodging and multi-use facilities will be implemented to create a safe and enjoyable festival environment.

• ●Environmental Maintenance: Efforts will include improving pedestrian safety and urban aesthetics, conducting ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys near large venues to preemptively identify sinkhole risks, implementing city beautification and roadside greening projects, and strengthening hygiene and safety management of public restrooms to enhance Busan’s clean city image.

In addition, the meeting provided an opportunity for tourism and sanitation-related associations, including the Busan Tourism Association, Korea Hotel Association Busan Chapter, Korea Foodservice Industry Association Busan Chapter, and Korea Entertainment Food Association Busan Chapter, to discuss cooperative measures for revitalizing Busan tourism and to explore solutions to key issues such as peak season price stabilization.

In particular, discussions addressed dispelling misunderstandings caused by the misconduct of a few businesses and strengthening Busan’s position as the “No. 1 City for Tourism Satisfaction.” While the private sector enhances self-regulation, the city will also consider measures to support fair pricing practices, such as promoting “Good Price” establishments.

Meanwhile, Busan has received international recognition:

• ●In 2024, global travel platform Agoda selected Busan as the only Korean city among Asia’s “Best Value Destinations.”

• ●More recently, surveys conducted by Yanolja Research and TripAdvisor ranked Busan second among eight major Northeast Asian cities and first in Korea in terms of foreign tourist satisfaction.

Mayor Park Heong-joon remarked, “As the September–November season offers ideal conditions for travel, a variety of large-scale events and festivals such as Festival Siwol, the National Sports Festival, G-Star, and the Busan Fireworks Festival will not only invigorate the local economy but also satisfy all five senses of visiting tourists.”

He added, “We will continue to develop diverse content and enhance hospitality services provided by local businesses for inbound tourists, ensuring Busan remains the number one city in tourism satisfaction, filled with attractions, entertainment, friendliness, and affordable prices. I ask for everyone’s active participation in achieving our shared goals of reaching 3 million foreign visitors early and advancing toward becoming a global tourism hub city.”