Busan, Making It a City with 10 Million Foreign Tourists

April 4 Busan International Tourism City Basic Plan Service Report Meeting ... 150 Billion Won Investment

View of Busan City Hall. The city will hold a basic plan service report meeting for the International Tourism City Development Project on the afternoon of the 4th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan City will hold a kickoff briefing session for the "Busan International Tourism City Development Basic Plan Establishment Project" at 3 p.m. on the 4th in the video conference room on the 7th floor of City Hall.

In January, Busan was selected as the final target site in the government's "International Tourism City Contest," securing a total budget of 150 billion KRW over five years (50 billion KRW from the national government and 100 billion KRW from the city government). This laid the foundation for Busan's leap to becoming a global tourism hub city.

Busan City has prepared the necessary conditions for the creation of an international tourism city and has begun the basic plan establishment project, entrusting the Korea Tourism Association with the preliminary design work for the tourism hub city.

The city will launch the "International Tourism City Promotion Committee," chaired by Acting Mayor Byeon Seong-wan and composed of experts from various tourism-related fields. The committee will provide advice on project implementation, feasibility reviews, and play a key role in major policy decisions and consulting during the five-year project period.

This project aims to establish a comprehensive plan to develop Busan into an international tourism hub. The main contents include analysis of urban conditions and tourism markets, basic concepts for the international tourism city, establishment of project plans, execution and operation plans, and performance management plans. All tasks are scheduled to be completed by December.

Along with the basic plan establishment, in the first year of the international tourism city promotion project, Busan plans to operate a tourism data analysis center, produce foreign language YouTube content and promotional videos, distribute Busan-style Wi-Fi, standardize tourism guide signs, and improve seating arrangements in restaurants as part of the "Urban Tourism Environment and Guidance System Improvement" project. A total of 12.9 billion KRW (4.3 billion KRW national funds, 8.6 billion KRW city funds) will be invested in 15 detailed projects to prepare for welcoming visitors.

The international tourism city project will be linked with existing city projects such as the "New Tourism Resource Development Project" and the "Downtown Pedestrian Path Master Plan Establishment Project" to accelerate content development and brand strategy establishment suitable for an international tourism city. It also plans to connect with the "Gyeongbu Line Railway Underground Project," promoted as part of the downtown redevelopment project, to establish a foothold for regional balanced development and urban regeneration as a tourism hub city.

Acting Mayor Byeon Seong-wan stated, "We plan to carry out this project without any setbacks and make Busan a 'city with 10 million foreign tourists' and a 'city with a 60% foreigner revisit rate' within five years."