More foreigners want to visit Busan

More foreigners have shown an interest in Busan, a South Korean port city.

The number of searches for a round trip between foreign countries and South Korea increased by 63%.

Busan, the second largest city 450km southeast of Seoul, saw this figure increase by 87% over one year, followed by Daegu, some 300km southeast of the capital (70%), and Jeju Island (69%).

The most popular tourist destination for foreigners was Seoul, followed by Busan, Jeju and Daegu, also showed the website.

While there is still strong demand for travel to Seoul, the number of people who prefer to travel to other cities without stopping in Incheon seems to have increased thanks to the greater number of regional flights and improved tourism infrastructure, the company said.

Incheon, located east of Seoul, is the city where Incheon International Airport is located. The number of passengers at Gimhae International Airport in Busan has steadily increased, posting a record 8.6 million passengers in the first half of the year, according to the site.

« The successful organization of an international event and the strengthening of cultural and tourism infrastructure appear to have contributed to South Korea’s growing popularity as a tourist destination, » said Choi Hyung-pyo, Korean market director.