Busan is good

TPO 46th Executive Committee Meeting Successfully Concludes, Advancing Global Tourism Cooperation

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) and the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (Secretary-General Kang Da-eun, hereinafter TPO) announced that they successfully held the “46th TPO Executive Committee Meeting” yesterday (March 18) at the Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju.

This meeting was held in Gyeongju, the host city of the 2025 APEC Summit, providing an opportunity to promote the city’s historical and cultural assets and its status as an international convention destination both domestically and internationally.

Approximately 80 participants attended the event, including representatives from six Executive Committee cities—Gyeongju as the host city and Busan as the chair city, along with Gimhae, Kota Kinabalu, Ipoh, Ho Chi Minh City, and Guangzhou—as well as officials from tourism-related organizations and companies.

The Executive Committee is a body that deliberates and resolves TPO’s major policy directions and the status of project implementation, serving as a policy platform to discuss cooperation strategies among member cities.

At this meeting, participants reviewed the implementation status of TPO’s major projects for 2026 and deliberated and resolved key policy agendas, including the expansion of tourism cooperation among global cities and the mid- to long-term development direction of the organization’s operations, thereby strengthening the foundation for cooperation among member cities.

In particular, the TPO Joint Promotion Presentation (JPP) and the G2B (Government to Business) networking program, held in conjunction with the meeting, received strong positive responses.

Participating cities introduced their key tourism resources and incentive policies to representatives of the domestic tourism and travel industry, while practical business consultations were conducted between overseas member cities and the domestic tourism sector for the development of specific tourism products, effectively serving as a venue for international tourism marketing.

In addition, a Special Briefing featuring global experts on the theme of “Data- and AI-based Urban Tourism Governance” provided in-depth insights into the advancement of tourism policies in the era of digital transformation, drawing significant attention from participants.

Following the official schedule, a nighttime tour was conducted to major historical sites in Gyeongju, including Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, and Woljeonggyo Bridge, which are representative nighttime tourist attractions.

Participants experienced Gyeongju’s historical heritage and nighttime tourism content firsthand, confirming its competitiveness as an international tourism city.

Meanwhile, TPO is the only international organization in Korea specializing in tourism, with its secretariat based in Busan, established to foster a global city network and promote the tourism industry.

Currently, it comprises 143 city members and 60 private-sector members, and since its establishment in 2002, it has led global tourism cooperation by hosting regional meetings and general assemblies annually.

Kang Da-eun, Secretary-General of TPO, stated, “This Executive Committee Meeting was a meaningful occasion to share the tourism competitiveness of Gyeongju as a post-APEC city with global cities and to foster practical business cooperation. We will continue to strive to ensure that TPO becomes a strong platform leading tourism exchange among cities.”

Na Yun-bin, Director General of the Tourism & MICE Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, said, “This Executive Committee Meeting served as an opportunity for Busan to lead innovation in the global tourism market as a global hub city and to strengthen robust international solidarity. We will continue to work with member cities to secure global tourism competitiveness and lead sustainable shared prosperity.”