Listening to tourists: Busan moves to polish its coastal appeal

Known for its sprawling coastlines, bustling traditional markets and vibrant local cuisine, Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan has long relied on broad statistical surveys to gauge its appeal to foreign travelers.

But this summer, municipal officials decided to swap numbers for direct conversation, sitting down with international visitors to learn what is actually working — and what needs fixing.

Busan Metropolitan City said Wednesday that it conducted its first-ever series of in-depth, one-on-one field interviews with foreign tourists, aiming to refine the city's hospitality infrastructure ahead of the autumn travel season. Over three days in late August, researchers interviewed 34 travelers across primary hubs, including Haeundae Beach, Gamcheon Culture Village and Yongdusan Park.

While travelers unanimously praised Busan’s dramatic setting — where mountains meet the sea — and celebrated the warmth of local residents, the study revealed starkly distinct frustrations depending on where the tourists came from.

Visitors from the United States and Europe reported significant friction with digital navigation, citing limited tourism details on Google Maps and a lack of awareness regarding regional transit passes. Japanese travelers focused heavily on sanitation, pointing out sewer odors in downtown entertainment districts and cleanliness issues in public restrooms. Meanwhile, Chinese tourists — many expressing interest in extended, monthlong stays — highlighted administrative and digital barriers, such as the inability to use local delivery or ride-hailing apps without a domestic phone number or identity verification.

A shared complaint across all demographics was the scarcity of public trash cans in tourist areas and cash-only policies at select traditional market stalls.

In response, city officials said they plan to execute immediate, tangible fixes, using upcoming supplementary budget allocations to install more trash receptacles in high-foot-traffic areas. Inter-departmental task forces will address larger systemic hurdles, including payment gateway expansions and mobile app accessibility for nonresidents.

The initiative reflects a strategic pivot for Korea’s second-largest city.

As international tourism bounces back globally, Busan is shifting its focus from raw visitor counts to elevating the actual quality of the traveler experience.

"It is time to focus on qualitative perfection," said Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo, emphasizing that the city intends to make field interviews a regular monitoring tool starting next year. "We want to address the small inconveniences to ensure Busan is not just a place people visit once, but a destination they want to return to."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.