‘Busan Sickness’ Spreads Across Taiwan... BTO Says, “Let’s Strike While the Iron Is Hot”

[Financial News] Buoyed by explosive demand for Busan travel in Taiwan, the Busan Tourism Organization (BTO) is rolling out various promotions to establish Busan as a key destination for Taiwanese tourists.
Taiwanese demand for travel to Busan is rising by the day, drawing attention from local media outlets as well. On the 25th of last month, “Trendsetters,” a news program on a channel operated by Eastern Broadcasting Company (EBC), aired an in-depth report titled “Busan Sickness Spreads Across Taiwan: Tourists Targeted with Discounts by Busan Tourism Authorities.”

The level of interest is also exceptionally high. In a survey conducted by the Busan Tourism Organization among more than 4,500 Taiwanese residents in May, over 95% said they would consider Busan as a travel destination within a year.
In response to the explosive surge in demand for travel to Busan and the launch of Starlux Airlines’ new Taipei–Busan and Taichung–Busan routes, the organization held a Greater China familiarization tour from the 1st to the 8th. A total of 23 people, including prominent Taiwanese influencers and representatives from major travel agencies in Taichung, were invited to promote Busan.
Starlux Airlines is also set to significantly increase service on its Taichung–Busan route, from three flights a week to seven, starting November 2. Through the familiarization tour, the organization aims to maximize its efforts to attract both group and free independent travelers (FITs) from central Taiwan.
The influencers who took part in the tour experienced trendy new activities, including yachting, a perfume workshop, and glass crafts, and explored Bujeon Market, one of Busan’s representative traditional markets. They also promoted Busan on social media, focusing on the city’s distinctive culinary offerings, including new cafes in western Busan.
The travel agency representatives inspected major hotels in downtown Busan capable of accommodating large groups and visited leading attractions such as Arte Museum, the Haeundae Beach Train, and Songdo Cable Car. They also reviewed tourism content in western Busan firsthand. Based on these experiences, they plan to begin developing Busan travel products targeting group and free independent travelers departing from Taichung.
A BTO official said, “The fact that the ‘Busan sickness,’ which spread spontaneously in Taiwan, is now receiving extensive coverage from major local media outlets is a meaningful sign of Busan’s tourism appeal and ability to attract repeat visitors. With interest in Busan at its peak, we will continue expanding marketing linked to local trends and content that encourages repeat visits, using customized marketing for each target group so that Busan can establish itself as a city people want to visit again.”
[email protected] Byeon Ok-hwan Reporter