Busan draws record tourism with heritage pavilion and 'Busan disease' promotion

Busan’s tourism authorities announced a new "Busan disease" healing promotion aimed at Chinese‑speaking visitors. Partnering with the online travel platform KKday, the month‑long campaign offers tiered travel packages, discounted flight coupons up to NT$1,000 and a "healing kit" for tourists arriving at Gimhae Airport. The initiative follows a 42.9% rise in foreign arrivals, reaching 467,000 in May, driven largely by visitors from Taiwan and Hong Kong.

At the same time, the Korea Pavilion at Busan’s BEXCO exhibition centre, set up for the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee, has attracted more than 10,000 daily visitors. Between May 20‑24, 52,758 people attended, with a single‑day peak of 15,485. The pavilion showcases Korean world‑heritage sites, intangible‑heritage performances and K‑heritage merchandise, generating over 100 million won in sales during the first five days. Officials say the strong turnout underscores growing international interest in Korea’s cultural assets.

Both efforts aim to extend visitor stays, boost local spending and cement Busan’s reputation as a cultural and leisure hub in East Asia.