Busan foreign tourist arrivals jump 46pc as medical travel fuels growth

Busan : Busan is seeing a sharp rebound in international tourism, with nearly 2.93 million foreign visitors arriving in the South Korean port city during the first seven months of 2026, municipal data showed.

Foreign arrivals reached 2,927,674 from January through July, representing a 46.1 percent increase from the same period last year. The pace was more than double the 21.3 percent growth recorded nationwide, putting Busan on track to exceed four million foreign visitors this year.

Taiwan was the largest source market with about 605,000 visitors, followed by China with 594,000 and Japan with 340,000. US arrivals also climbed strongly, increasing 78.4 percent year over year to 259,675 despite the absence of direct flights.

Tourism spending has risen alongside visitor numbers. Foreign card transactions in Busan reached 742.3 billion won, or about USD 553 million, during the seven-month period, up 50.8 percent from a year earlier.

Medical tourism was a major contributor, with related spending soaring 118.4 percent. Busanjin District emerged as the city's top area for foreign spending, surpassing Haeundae, partly because of its concentration of dermatology and plastic surgery clinics.

The city expects further arrivals during major events later this year and plans to expand visitor services, including tourism pass kiosks and improved signage.