Busan Metro rides Pokémon wave to boost tourism ridership

Busan Transportation Corporation announced Thursday that it had successfully wrapped up a month-long "community-based global IP collaboration marketing" campaign held across Busan from July 10. The campaign drove an increase in urban rail ridership and demonstrated the effectiveness of content marketing that links tourist destinations and city infrastructure through a globally recognized intellectual property.

Building on last year's collaboration, the corporation again partnered with Pokémon to present tourism content connecting Busan's major attractions and event hubs via the city's urban rail network. Five themed stations — Busan Station, Beomnaegol Station, Jeonpo Station, Gwangan Station and Centum City Station — were linked to Seomyeon Station, the final stop of a stamp rally, and a Pokémon-themed train ran throughout the campaign.

The number of partner organizations also expanded to six. Jointly planned by Busan Transportation Corporation and Pokémon Korea, the campaign brought in Suyeong-gu Office, Busan Facilities Corporation, Bexco and the Busan Metropolitan City Bus Transport Business Association, weaving together the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show, a photo zone at Busan Station Plaza, a Bexco card game event, a Pokémon-themed bus and various events across the city into a single integrated tourism content experience.

The Pokémon drone show at Gwangalli Beach on July 25 drew 108,000 visitors, while the Busan Transportation Corporation Battle Tournament at Bexco on Aug. 1 attracted more than 4,500 attendees.

During the campaign period, total urban rail passenger volume rose 2.5 percent year-on-year — an increase of 646,000 passengers — while fare revenue grew 1.7 percent to 395 million won ($285,000). Passenger volume and fare revenue at the six key event stations climbed 7.5 percent and 9.5 percent, respectively, outpacing system-wide growth rates by 5.0 percentage points and 7.7 percentage points.

Limited-edition Pokémon-design QR tickets sold 252,000 units worth 287 million won. Of those, 102,000 units were sold through a credit card quick-payment system introduced this year.

The corporation's own content business also delivered results. A summer pop-up store that reimagined Busan's transit-oriented tourist destinations as a virtual rail route drew about 67,000 visitors over 24 days from July 17 to Aug. 9, while merchandise sales featuring new Busan Transportation Corporation characters "Bureiy" and "Tabio" reached 190 million won. Compared with last year's pop-up store, visitor numbers rose 4.1-fold and sales jumped 6.6-fold.

Busan Transportation Corporation plans to expand its transit marketing efforts to connect Busan's tourist attractions, festivals and local commercial districts around the urban rail network. President Lee Byeong-jin said: "Through global IP collaboration, we confirmed that compelling content creates new demand for visits and travel, which in turn drives greater use of the urban rail. We will develop content tied to Busan's tourism resources so that the urban rail becomes a platform connecting tourists' movement and experiences."