South Korea is seeing a shift in how foreign tourists enter the country, with millions of visitors heading directly to the southern port city of Busan rather than beginning their trips in Seoul. The growing demand is prompting airlines to add international flights and raising the city’s ambitions to become a gateway for travelers from beyond Asia.
Busan welcomed 3.93 million foreign tourists during the first nine months of 2026, a 47% increase from a year earlier, according to the city government. Nearly 2.33 million entered South Korea directly through Busan’s Gimhae International Airport or seaport, compared with 1.6 million who reached the city after visiting other parts of the country. Direct arrivals accounted for nearly 60% of Busan’s foreign visitors.
The trend extends beyond South Korea’s neighboring markets. Americans accounted for 8.2% of Busan’s foreign tourists, making the United States the city’s fourth-largest source of international visitors, behind China at 21%, Taiwan at 20.8% and Japan at 12.1%. The figures show that Busan is drawing substantial interest from American travelers even as the city seeks stronger long-distance air connections, including routes to North America.
The surge reflects the growing appeal of South Korean destinations beyond Seoul, fueled partly by the global popularity of Korean entertainment and culture. Busan attracted 23% of all foreign visitors to South Korea during the first nine months of the year, according to city estimates. Its growing popularity as an initial destination is also creating new demand for international flights that bypass the capital.
South Korean budget carriers are among the first to respond. Eastar Jet, a low-cost airline based in South Korea, launched daily service between Busan and Hong Kong on October 25 and plans to introduce flights to Hangzhou, China, in December. The airline said international passenger traffic on its Busan routes had jumped 193% from a year earlier.
Foreign travelers make up much of that demand. Eastar Jet reported that international passengers account for 89% of travelers on its Busan to Taipei route and 74% on its Hong Kong service, underscoring the growing importance of inbound tourism to the airport’s expanding network.
Other South Korean carriers are following. Jeju Air increased its Busan to Shanghai service from four weekly flights to daily operations in late October and plans to launch flights to Manila on December 17. Air Busan, a regional airline headquartered in the city, is scheduled to begin service to Chiang Mai, Thailand, on November 11.
The growth is also attracting attention from major international airlines. Dubai-based Emirates opened a travel store near Busan Station on November 2, its second such location in South Korea after Seoul. The carrier is reportedly considering direct flights between Busan and Dubai in 2027, although the service has not been confirmed.
A Dubai connection would be a major expansion for Gimhae International Airport. At approximately 4,350 miles, the route would surpass the airport’s current longest service to Bali, Indonesia, which covers about 3,150 miles.
Busan is also pursuing flights to Europe and North America as it seeks to accommodate growing international tourism demand. Finnair and LOT Polish Airlines have previously considered serving the airport, while local expectations for additional long-distance routes remain tied partly to the possibility of improved aviation conditions following an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
City officials say they intend to intensify efforts to attract those connections, citing demand from international visitors and residents of Busan and the neighboring Ulsan and South Gyeongsang regions.
The immediate growth remains concentrated in Asian routes, but the changing arrival patterns are giving airlines reason to expand their presence in Busan. As more foreign tourists begin their South Korean journeys outside Seoul, the country’s second-largest city is taking on a larger role in how international travelers reach the country.
