Taiwanese Tourists Flock to Busan, Doubling in Number from Last Year
Over 2,000 Servings of Dwaeji Gukbap Sold as In-Flight Meal in Four Months
Busan has emerged as a "hot spot" among Taiwanese tourists. These days, 7 out of every 10 passengers on flights between Taiwan and Busan are Taiwanese nationals. The first thing they seek out in Busan is not Haeundae Beach or Gamcheon Village, but rather "dwaeji-gukbap" (pork and rice soup).
According to the airline industry on August 23, Taiwanese nationals account for an average of 60-70% of passengers on domestic flights between Busan and Taiwan (Taipei and Kaohsiung). For Air Busan, more than 80% of passengers on the Busan-Kaohsiung route are Taiwanese. An Air Busan representative stated, "It is extremely rare for foreign nationals to make up such a high proportion of passengers on a national carrier."
Jeju Air is experiencing a similar trend. On the Busan-Taipei route, 60-70% of passengers are Taiwanese tourists, and the vast majority of passengers on Taiwanese airlines such as China Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan are also Taiwanese nationals.
Tourism data supports this trend. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the proportion of Taiwanese tourists visiting Busan among all Taiwanese visitors to Korea rose from 13% in 2023 to 23% in the first half of 2024. Last year, approximately 500,000 Taiwanese tourists visited Busan, making them the largest group of foreign visitors to the city. This figure is nearly double that of the previous year.
The tourism industry cites various factors behind this surge in popularity. These include the expansion of direct flight routes, word-of-mouth on Taiwanese social media, and demand shifting from China to Korea. In particular, local cuisine is seen as a decisive factor. One industry insider explained, "Taiwanese tourists, who are very interested in dining culture, enjoy Busan foods such as dwaeji-gukbap and ssiat-hotteok."
In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Busan Tourism Organization of more than 15,000 Taiwanese respondents, the most popular Busan food was dwaeji-gukbap (66.9%), followed by Busan eomuk (fish cake) at 37.4%, ssiat-hotteok (seed-stuffed pancake) at 22.4%, and grilled eel at 19.4%. Tigerair Taiwan also made headlines by serving dwaeji-gukbap as an in-flight meal, selling as many as 2,166 meals over four months.
The number of Taiwanese tourists visiting Busan is expected to increase further. This is because EVA Air is launching a new Busan-Taipei route, and Jeju Air is set to resume its Busan-Kaohsiung service.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
