Busan Devoting to Raise Profile as Fascinating Tourist Destination
- Promoting publicity activities and regional inter-city tourism network in the Asia-Pacific area

 
Busan, Korea's second largest city and aspiring to become a hub-port of Northeast Asia, is exerting itself to promote its charming, exotic tourist attractions ahead of the APEC 2005 Korea slated for next November here.

Busan has already established itself as a unique international tourist destination blessed with natural maritime, mountain and river attractions in perfect harmony with a vision of becoming a Northeast Asian hub of tourism and logistics.

The Busan Metropolitan City government has focused on publicizing its tourist attractions, exciting festivals and international conference capabilities with a vision of becoming a Northeast Asian hub of tourism and logistics.

The city also hosts numerous regional festivals, many of which highlight regional points of interest or blend in naturally with the four seasons, such as PIFF, the Busan Biennale, the Busan International Rock Festival and the annual Busan Jagalchi Festival.

In particular, the Busan metropolitan authorities sets its sights on capitalizing on the APEC Leaders' Meeting in a bid to advance the development of the projected hub port of Northeast Asia. Busan municipal officials hope that Busan's  playing host of the gathering of the leaders of the 21 members of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) would become a great boon to raise its global profile.

Busan International Travel Fair 2004 (BITF2004) that opened on Oct. 21 at the BEXCO gets under way with about 200 tourism-relates exhibitors from abroad and Korea participating. BITF2004 is the latest of the city government's efforts to publicize its tourism resources, exchange information and promote business opportunities in the tourism sector. The fourth annual travel fair is expected to be significant as Busan will be the venue site of the APEC 2005 Korea and the port city will celebrate the "Visit Busan Year 2005," designated by the central government next year.

Busan has beefed up cooperation in the tourism sector among cities in the Asia-Pacific area.

As part of efforts to secure the inter-city tourism network in the Asia-Pacific region, Busan hosted the first TPO (Tourism Promotion Organization for Asian-Pacific Cities) General Assembly in September of 2003. The TPO, established in August 2002 with Busan taking the initiative, has evolved into an international institution with a membership of 45 key cities from 12 countries, including Korea, Japan and China, as well as 13 private organizations in a short period of time.

As part of its collaboration projects among the member cities, the TPO, headquartered in Busan, tested-operated the Fukuoka-Busan - Shanghai cruise line between Sept. 18 and Sept. 24 this year. Citizens and municipal government officials from Fukuoka, Japan and Busan arrived in Shanghai via the cruise line and held their sessions aimed at publicizing their tourism resources and opportunities in the first experimental inter-city collaboration project termed as a success.

As recently as Sept. 10, a tourism promotion consultation committee was inaugurated to promote collaboration among Busan and three provincial and city governments along the East Coast. Tourism bureau chiefs from Busan Metropolitan, Ulsan Metropolitan, North Gyeongsang Provincial and Gangwon Provincial governments, and other tourism-related figures participated in the inaugural session held at the Busan Lotte Hotel and discussed ways of promoting cooperation and development of tourism resources along the coastal area.

Int'l festivals

Each October, Busan is transformed into a city of international events highlighting the newest and most exotic tourist attractions.

Tourists to Busan every October have a wonderful opportunity to visit the Jagalchi Market where they explore the tastes and sights of the sea. The 2004 Jagalchi Culture and Tourism Festival, that ran from Oct. 13 to Oct. 17, featured several programs on four stages, including eel and small octopus relay competitions and a contest for catching eel with bare hands. The Jagalchi festival celebrated its ninth year of operation in 2004.

The festival, designated as an important regional festival by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has emerged as one of the nation's famous festivals catering to international tourists. The festival featured events such as a fishing rite of prayer for the safe return of fishermen with a full boat and a large-scale road play event called Gilnori.

The Boiso (See) Program was designed to give visitors an opportunity to witness first-hand Korea's ajumma (middle-aged women) participating in a raw fish slicing and cooking spectacle, called the Jagalchi Ajimae (Aunty) Contest.  Highlights of the Oiso (Come) Program included the Standard Quantity Contest of Sliced Raw Fish, the Bare-Handed Sea Eel Catching Contest, the Sea Eel Relay Race and the Foreigners' Cooking Contest.  Seafood products were available at the Seafood Surprise Auction at a discount rate under the Saiso (Enjoy) Program.

One of the month's representative festivals is the Pusan International Film Festival. In connection with the annual international film festival (PIFF), there are many frequented movie-related places like Cinematheque Pusan, Cine-Park and PIFF Plaza, loved by young people, especially during the PIFF.  Among the favorite locations of hit movies are the streets from the Beomil-dong overpass to Samil Theater, designated as "The Street of Friend" in celebration of the Korean film "Friend" and the "40 steps" located in Jungang-dong, the scene of the famous film "Sympathy and Reason Are Out of Mind."

The PIFF has become as one of the world's top eight international film festivals and the best in Asia.  Busan's bid to establish itself as the center of Korea's movie industry, combined with the citizen's enthusiastic interest and contributions, has contributed to making the PIFF a success.

The 2004 Pusan International Film Festival featured 266 works from 63 countries, the largest in its nine-year history. The annual film festival closed its curtain with the screening of "The Scarlet Letter," a Koran romantic thriller by Danial Byun.

Organizers claimed that the festival attracted some 160,000 moviegoers. The 2004 PIFF witnessed 39 films make their world premiers, reflecting the festival's rising influence in the cinema world.

The 2004 Busan Biennale that kicked off for a 163-day run on May 22 in several locations across the Busan area, including the Municipal Art Museum, Ulsukdo Culture Hall and Haeundae Beach gets under way until October 31, 2004. Held once every two years, the Busan Biennale is one of Korea's representative art festivals.  With the theme "Chasm," the 2004 Busan Biennale features contemporary art exhibitions, a Sea Art Festival, a display of installation art, and the Busan Sculpture Project aimed at beautifying the city with works of art.

An acclaimed summer fixture on Dadaepo Beach is the Busan International Rock Festival entertaining throngs of vacationers each summer. The Fifth Busan International Rock Festival held between Aug. 5 and Aug. 7, served as an occasion to position itself as an international rock festival with performances by noted music groups and singers.

Busan, the venue of the upcoming the APEC 2005 Korea, has already been recognized as an international city after successfully organizing and hosting the 2002 Asian Games, an achievement that was marked by solid security, terrific facilities and an advanced telecom environment.

BEXCO, a virtual breeding ground for the regional convention industry, has served as the host venue for numerous exhibitions and international conferences in 2003, including the Busan Motor Show 2003, ICCA General Assembly and the railway logistics exhibition as well as a number of important conventions and international exhibitions including the ITU Telecom Asia 2004, dubbed Telecom Olympics in 2004.

Busan has a potential to serve as a maritime gateway to Japan and other parts of the world and the starting point of a future inter-Korean railway network and further link to Eurasia, symbolizing a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula and co-prosperity in Northeast Asia. Busan Port will have the New Port with a total of berths in the Gadeok Island area built by 2010 with a vision of becoming a maritime and logistics hub of Northeast Asia.

Korean culture-immersion programs

International tourists will be also given an opportunity to sample or learn Korean traditional heritage and culture by making ceramics, gimchi and participating in a traditional Korean tea ceremony.

As part of the tour programs, visitors can stay at Beomeo Temple, Samgwang Temple or Hongbeop Temple and experience Korea's Buddhist world and temple life.  Beomeo Temple is located at the edge of Mt. Geumjeongsan, one of the most famous mountains in Busan.  About 1,300 years ago, Beomeo Temple was first built by monk Ui Sang in the 18th reign of King Munmu (661-681) of the Silla Kingdom.  Daeungjeon is one of the most delicate and wondrous examples of Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) architecture.

Take a look at the major theme-oriented tourist attractions that Busan hosts or provides every year. There's no better place to usher in the New Year than Busan.  The New Year's Festival in Busan will be held from Dec. 31, 2003 to Jan. 1, every year.

Mt. Yongdu Park is ready for a midnight tolling ceremony when the Citizen? Bell will be used to usher out the old year and welcome in the New Year.  At the same time, folklore performances and dancing are be held around Haeundae Beach

It's cool to take a dip into the winter sea and brave the chill. The Polar Bear Swimming Competition is a popular winter sporting event with participants swimming or running to the turning point 80 meters away. The Polar Bear Swimming Competition is held at the Westin Chosun Beach Hotel and Haeundae Beach area around February 1 every year.

Like other parts of the country, the Busan area has a number of superb hot spas to beat the chilly weather. The Haeundae Spa, Dongnae Spa and Taejongdae Spa are all recommended areas to take a rest during the New Year Holiday Season.  The Haeundae Spa, covering 86,225 sq. meters, is famous for the healing effects of its water on skin ailments. Taejongdae Spa offers unique bathing pleasures including an outdoor jade-covered floor known for its massaging effects. Busan's beaches are loved by throngs of vacationers who swarm the beach to beat the sultry summer heat.  During the month of August each year, there is the Busan Sea Festival and Busan International Rock Festival, which is held on six Busan area beaches.

Haeundae is the undisputed jewel of Korea's pristine beaches.  Right on the beach, the Busan Aquarium - Korea's largest aquatic museum - houses nearly 35,000 kinds of sea life including rare fish and 250 species of deep-sea creatures, sharks, and penguins.   nw