Busan Tourism Organization

What Busan Tourism Organization does

Busan Tourism Organization (부산관광공사, BTO) is a government-affiliated public corporation established under Busan Metropolitan City to serve as the official tourism promotion and management agency for the city of Busan, South Korea. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Busan, the organization operates a diversified portfolio of tourism assets and services, including physical attractions such as Taejongdae Resort, Yongdusan Park, Hwangnyeongsan Observatory, Yonghoman Cruise Terminal, Nakdonggang Eco Tour Boat, and the Taejongdae Drive-in Theater. It also runs the Busan City Tour Bus, the Busan Modern History Museum, the Busan One Asia Festival (BOF), the VISIT BUSAN online portal (visitbusan.net), and the Visit Busan Pass discount program.

The organization operates under a government-funded revenue model, receiving public funding and subsidies from Busan Metropolitan City for tourism promotion and destination management activities. Its primary customer segments are international tourists and domestic Korean travelers, with secondary support for Busan-based tourism startups and small businesses through its wholly-owned Busan Tourism Business Support Center (부산관광기업지원센터) and Busan Tourism Venture Co-prosperity Center (부산관광벤처상생센터). The organization distributes its services through directly operated attractions, the VISIT BUSAN online platform, and partnerships with affiliated organizations including BEXCO (MICE support), the Korea Tourism Organization (national-level coordination), and the Busan Metropolitan City Government (parent governance).

In 2025, BTO achieved a historic milestone by attracting 3.5 million foreign tourists to Busan — the first time the port city reached this level — and has set a strategic goal of reaching 7 million foreign tourists by 2030. The organization received the '최우수' (Highest Excellence) grade in the 2025 Ministry of the Interior and Safety management evaluation. Its current president is Lee Jung-sil (이정실), who succeeded former president Lee Ki-hwee (이기훼). No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or private equity or venture capital ownership is disclosed in the available data.

Name

Busan Tourism Organization

Legal name

부산관광공사

Website

https://bto.or.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Busan Tourism Organization (부산관광공사) is a Busan Metropolitan City government-affiliated public corporation that promotes Busan as a tourism destination, operating attractions like Taejongdae Resort and Yongdusan Park, managing the VISIT BUSAN portal, supporting MICE and tourism startups, and running the Busan City Tour Bus and festivals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Tourism Management

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Tour Operators (561520), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (4879)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Escorted Coach & Bus Package Tour Operators (THAKADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Shuttle Bus Leasing/Rental (Airport/Hotel/Corporate) (TLABADAD)

Keywords

• Destination tourism management
• Tourism marketing
• MICE services
• Tourist attraction operations
• Tourism business support

Headquarters

HQ city

Busan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded operations: As a government-affiliated organization under Busan Metropolitan City, the organization operates with public funding for tourism promotion and destination management activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Busan Tourism Organization directly operates major Busan tourist attractions (city tour bus, Taejongdae Resort, Yongdusan Park, marine cruise terminals, eco-tour vessels, museums), runs the VISIT BUSAN tourism information portal and Visit Busan Pass, conducts overseas destination marketing and MICE industry support, and provides tourism business incubation and consulting services through the Busan Tourism Business Support Center and Venture Co-prosperity Center.

Product overview

Busan Tourism Organization operates a diversified portfolio of tourism products and services, including physical attractions (Taejongdae Resort, Yongdusan Park, Hwangnyeongsan Observatory), marine tourism (Yonghoman Cruise, Nakdonggang Eco Boat), cultural venues (Busan Modern History Museum, Taejongdae Drive-in Theater), transportation (Busan City Tour Bus), and digital platforms (VISIT BUSAN portal, Visit Busan Pass). The organization also supports the broader tourism ecosystem through its Busan Tourism Business Support Center and Busan Tourism Venture Co-prosperity Center, which provide startup support, consulting, facility rental, and networking programs for tourism enterprises.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VISIT BUSAN: Official tourism portal for Busan providing travel information and resources
• 부산시티투어버스 (Busan City Tour)
• BOF (Busan One Asia Festival)
• 비짓부산패스 (Visit Busan Pass)

Products and services

• Busan City Tour Bus (부산시티투어버스) Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus service covering major tourist attractions across Busan, targeted at domestic and international visitors.
• VISIT BUSAN (비짓부산) Portal Official online tourism portal providing comprehensive information on Busan attractions, events, festivals, and travel planning resources for prospective visitors.
• Visit Busan Pass (비짓부산패스) Discount tourist pass providing access and reduced-price entry to participating attractions and tourism establishments across Busan, for domestic and international tourists.
• Busan One Asia Festival (BOF) (부산원아시아페스티벌) Annual music and cultural festival showcasing K-pop and Asian entertainment acts, organized to drive inbound tourism to Busan.
• Taejongdae Resort (태종대유원지) Coastal nature park with hiking trails, amusement facilities, the on-site drive-in theater, and panoramic ocean views, operated by BTO for tourists.
• Yongdusan Park (용두산공원) Urban park near Busan Port featuring the Busan Tower observation point and city views, operated by BTO for tourists and local visitors.
• Hwangnyeongsan Mountain Observatory (황령산 전망쉼터) Mountain observatory offering panoramic night views of Busan's cityscape, operated by BTO for tourists.
• Yonghoman Cruise Terminal (용호만유람선터미널) Marine tourism terminal providing cruise tours around Busan's harbor and coastal waters, operated by BTO.
• Nakdonggang Eco Tour Boat (낙동강 생태탐방선) Eco-tour boat service exploring the natural ecosystem of the Nakdonggang River, operated by BTO for tourists.
• Taejongdae Drive-in Theater (태종대 자동차극장) Drive-in movie theater located inside the Taejongdae Recreation Area, operated by BTO for tourists and residents.
• Busan Modern History Museum (부산근현대역사관) Museum operated by BTO showcasing Busan's modern and contemporary history, targeted at cultural tourists and school groups.
• Busan Tourism Business Support Center (부산관광기업지원센터) Support center providing expert consulting, facility/space rental, networking, and accelerator programs for tourism startups and small businesses in Busan.
• Busan Tourism Venture Co-prosperity Center (부산관광벤처상생센터) Venture center supporting growth, collaboration, and co-prosperity among tourism startups in Busan, operated as part of BTO.
• Tourism Research and Statistics Publications Ongoing tourist behavior surveys, visitor trend analysis, big data research, and tourism industry performance studies published regularly by BTO for industry stakeholders.
• MICE Industry Support Services Convention, exhibition, and incentive travel support program providing bid support, hosting assistance, city promotion, and network management for MICE events in Busan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.5 million foreign tourists attracted (historic first)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BEXCO (부산엑스포)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusan Tourism Organization partners with BEXCO (Busan Exhibition and Convention Center) for MICE industry support and exhibition activities in Busan.
• 한국관광공사 (Korea Tourism Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational-level tourism organization providing coordination on international tourism promotion, tourism research, and industry support programs for Busan tourism sector.
• 부산광역시 (Busan Metropolitan City Government)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing governance and funding for Busan Tourism Organization as the city's official tourism promotion entity.
• 한국관광공사 (Korea Tourism Organization) - Tourism Business Support Center NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated network of regional tourism business support centers coordinated by Korea Tourism Organization, sharing best practices and programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BTOrganization
• Facebookfacebook.com/bto.arab
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitbusan.kr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/busan-convention-bureau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Busan Tourism Organization