Busan's BTS world tour welcome center wraps up with strong turnout

Busan city and the Busan Tourism Organization said Tuesday that a global tourist welcome program held at major city gateways — including Busan Station and Gimhae International Airport — wrapped up successfully in conjunction with the BTS World Tour Arirang in Busan concerts, held June 12 and 13 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium.

The "BTS THE CITY Arirang Busan Welcome Center Check-in Busan," operated at Busan Eurasia Platform from June 5 to June 21, drew 31,583 visitors in total. Foreign visitors numbered 24,004, accounting for 76 percent of the total.

A total of 22,401 visitors responded to an entry survey at the welcome center. By nationality and region, South Koreans made up the largest share at 5,430 respondents (24.2 percent), followed by Japanese at 5,314 (23.8 percent), Southeast Asians at 4,731 (21.1 percent), visitors from Chinese-speaking regions at 2,960 (13.2 percent), those from the Americas and Europe at 2,558 (11.4 percent), and others at 1,408 (6.3 percent).

During the welcome center's operating period, a 5-meter-tall K-pop character sculpture photo zone was installed in Busan Station Plaza to greet arriving tourists. From June 8 to June 14, the international arrivals hall on the first floor of Gimhae International Airport was decorated with a Busan tourism photo zone, and organizers held a hospitality event featuring lucky-draw gift giveaways for about 8,200 tourists.

The Busan Station welcome center offered a range of services, including Busan tourism information, luggage storage and delivery, a music experience zone, a K-beauty zone, a photo booth, a Busan tourism experience zone, and a Google Gemini AI experience booth.

When asked about their purpose for visiting Busan, 82.1 percent of welcome center respondents said they came to attend the BTS concert or related events and pop-up activities. Among foreign tourists, 88.1 percent cited the same reason.

Among respondents, 78.3 percent said they stayed in Busan for two nights or more, and 94.6 percent said they would recommend the city to others. The most frequently cited destinations — in a multiple-response question — were beachside areas such as Haeundae and Gwangalli, urban districts including Busan Station, Nampo-dong and Jagalchi, and cultural villages such as Gamcheon Culture Village and Hinyeoul Culture Village.

A separate survey of Busan residents showed strong support: 90.8 percent said the BTS concert-linked hospitality events helped promote Busan and boost tourism, while 92.0 percent agreed that Busan Eurasia Platform should be used as a tourist welcome and experience venue.

Na Yun-bin, the city's director general of tourism and MICE, said Busan is "a city full of things to enjoy and see throughout all four seasons" and pledged to "do our best to elevate Busan's standing as a global tourism city."