Tourists enjoy the summer vacation season at Haeundae Beach in Busan, Sunday. Yonhap
Driven by a surge in visitors from across Asia and a blockbuster June stadium concert by K-pop juggernaut BTS, international tourism in the southern port city of Busan shattered postpandemic records during the first half of 2026.
According to municipal data released Thursday, Busan welcomed more than 2.42 million foreign visitors between January and June — a 43.9 percent jump compared to the same period of 2025. The strong turnout puts the coastal metropolis well on track to hit its ambitious target of 4 million foreign tourists by year’s end, having already achieved over 60 percent of that goal in six months.
Leading the influx were travelers from Taiwan and mainland China, who accounted for nearly 40 percent of total arrivals. Taiwanese tourists surged 54 percent year-on-year to rank first overall, while Chinese arrivals nearly doubled, surging 90.7 percent. Visitors from the United States grew by 76.4 percent, with European markets like France and Britain also posting substantial gains.
The surge in foot traffic translated into a massive windfall for the local economy.
