What foreign tourists like and dislike about Busan

People have seats on a terrace in Busan.

(Photo by City of Busan/courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)

Busan’s beaches, food and friendly residents earned high marks from international visitors in a recent survey, but tourists also pointed to problems ranging from public cleanliness to digital services.

The city interviewed 34 foreign tourists at Haeundae Beach, Gamcheon Culture Village, Yongdusan Park and other locations from August 22 to 24.

Participants came from China, Taiwan, Japan, Europe and North America.

Across nationalities, visitors praised Busan’s combination of ocean and mountain scenery, lively urban atmosphere and local food. Many also identified interactions with friendly residents as one of the city’s strongest attractions and a reason to return.

Common complaints included a shortage of public trash cans and difficulty using credit cards at some traditional markets and businesses.

Concerns varied by region.

Chinese-speaking visitors wanted better multilingual taxi information, wider acceptance of WeChat Pay and Alipay, and easier access to bike-sharing, delivery and restaurant reservation apps.

Japanese visitors raised concerns about restroom cleanliness, cigarette butts and odors around parts of Seomyeon.

European and North American tourists cited limited tourism information on Google Maps and relatively low awareness of the Visit Busan Pass.

Busan plans to use the feedback to address problems that can be resolved quickly while reviewing longer-term improvements to transportation, payment systems and tourism services.

Fleet Chinhae