Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Successfully Concludes the 1st Global City Tourism Summit – A Leap Toward Becoming a Global Tourism Hub

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the 1st Global City Tourism Summit, held from October 27 to 29 at Paradise Hotel and various locations throughout Busan, concluded successfully, fostering solidarity among global tourism cities and producing tangible economic results.

Co-hosted by the City, the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO), and the Busan Tourism Organization under the theme “Local Tourism and Culture: Innovation and Cooperation,” the summit attracted more than 1,200 participants—including mayors and high-level representatives from 22 cities across 13 countries, as well as officials from international organizations, academia, and industry leaders—marking a significant turning point in global urban tourism policy.

The highlight of the summit, the Mayors’ Roundtable, brought together 14 global city leaders including Mayor Park Heong-joon to share strategies for revitalizing local tourism and strengthen global partnerships for sustainable tourism development. The roundtable served as a platform for “tourism diplomacy” to promote collaboration among cities worldwide.

At the session, representatives from the 14 cities unanimously adopted a Joint Statement incorporating four key principles—implementation of global tourism policy, integration of innovation and technology, promotion of cooperative networks, and pursuit of sustainable tourism—and four corresponding joint action plans. This reaffirmed Busan’s role as a leading city setting new agendas in global tourism policy.
The declaration is expected to serve as the institutional foundation for regular annual gatherings that foster coexistence and the sharing of experiences and policies among global cities.

The summit also achieved substantial economic outcomes that directly invigorated the local economy. It established strong business networks among global cities, human resources, and tourism enterprises, while attracting investments and signing cooperation agreements that created immediate economic ripple effects across Busan’s tourism value chain.

Busan signed an MOU with Agoda, a global online travel agency (OTA), to collaborate on global integrated marketing, co-develop thematic and customized tourism products, and jointly promote inbound tourism. This partnership will significantly enhance the visibility of Busan’s tourism products among potential travelers worldwide, strengthening the city’s digital competitiveness in the global tourism market.

During the Business Meetup (B2B Consultation Session), two OTAs, 22 tourism companies, and seven venture capital firms engaged in 123 consultation sessions exploring investment opportunities—contributing to revitalizing Busan’s regional economy.

Comprising a total of 23 programs, the summit focused on building policy solidarity and academic exchange to present future visions for sustainable urban tourism.

Under the Policy Agenda & Knowledge Exchange theme, the UN Tourism Joint Keynote Session featured a keynote speech by the Head of the National Geographic Center for Destination Management on “The Connectivity Between Local Tourism and Culture,” joined by UN Tourism Asia-Pacific experts who discussed sustainable tourism and global policy directions.
In the Ambassadors’ Session, ambassadors from three countries including Azerbaijan shared their national tourism experiences, highlighting tourism diplomacy in action.
At the Thematic Sessions, domestic and international experts presented practical strategies for the future of urban tourism in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and for sustainable tourism development.

Under the Future Talent Development and Market Diversification Cooperation theme, the Korea-Central Asia Tourism Cooperation Special Session brought together representatives from five Central Asian countries and domestic enterprises to discuss new market development and practical cooperation, laying the groundwork for expanding future tourism markets.

The Youth Tourism Connect Talk Show provided a communication platform where university students majoring in tourism engaged with global leaders, including broadcaster Nam Ju-cheol and travel YouTuber “Chaekoje,” to strengthen their practical competencies.
In addition, during the Launch Ceremony for the Global Tourism University Network, the City, TPO, 21 Busan-based universities, and the Asia Pacific Tourism Association (APTA) pledged to collaborate in nurturing next-generation tourism policy experts.

In the Special Dialogue Session, key figures such as the mayors of Kigali (Rwanda), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), and Copenhagen (Denmark) shared in-depth visions for “The Future of Cities in the Age of Digital Transformation.” Busan also broadened its international cooperation through bilateral meetings with the mayors of Kigali and Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia).

Beyond the international discussions, the summit also engaged citizens and youth through various participatory events, strengthening the city’s connection with the local community.
The Global Tourism Roadshow, World Culture Festival, and Gastronomy Forum expanded the summit’s impact into everyday civic life.
Over 5,000 citizens participated in the roadshow held in Haeundae, experiencing firsthand the excitement of the summit and rediscovering Busan’s diverse tourism charms.
At the Gastronomy Forum, world-renowned chefs hosted live cooking shows and discussions, providing local businesses and citizens with vibrant experiences of culinary culture.

Meanwhile, Busan was recently named the “Best City Tourism Destination 2025” at the TripZilla Excellence Awards, a leading Southeast Asian travel media outlet, further enhancing its reputation in the regional tourism market.
Founded in Singapore in 2010, TripZilla annually announces the TripZilla Excellence Awards recognizing outstanding travel destinations worldwide.
In its 11th edition this year, Busan was the only Korean city honored in the “Best City Tourism Destination” category, reaffirming its global standing as a world-class tourist city.
TripZilla described Busan as “a city that perfectly blends vibrant urban energy with the charm of the sea—a destination that captivates both first-time and returning travelers alike.”

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “As Busan garners global attention as one of the world’s best city tourism destinations, the most meaningful achievement of this summit is the successful establishment of a global tourism cooperation platform connecting major cities in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Through the implementation of the Joint Statement, Busan will continue to strengthen its sustainable urban competitiveness and institutionalize the summit to lead a new turning point in the global tourism industry as a Global Tourism Hub City.”