Held in Taichung, Chinese Taipei, from September 16 to 18
'Global City Tourism Summit' to follow in Busan in October

The City of Busan (Mayor Jeon Jae-soo) announced that it participated in the "10th TPO Forum," held in Taichung from September 16 to 18, to strengthen global tourism cooperation as the presidency city and explore sustainable urban tourism policy directions among member cities.

The forum, held under the theme of "Sustainable Urban Tourism: Smart Tourism and Shared Value," serves as an urban tourism policy exchange event hosted by the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO).

The event brought together around 200 participants, including delegations from 27 cities, international organizations, academia, and tourism industry representatives. It featured policy sessions, city tourism policy briefings, business consultation sessions, tourism roadshows, and MICE roundtables, creating a platform for exchange between cities and the tourism industry.

As the TPO presidency city, Busan presided over the 47th Executive Committee meeting and participated in the declaration of "Good Tourism," a new joint tourism vision.

The Executive Committee meeting held on September 16 deliberated and approved major agenda items, including next year's (2027) business plan and the approval of new member registrations. Busan's Dong-gu was included as a new member, expanding the foundation for international tourism exchange in the Busan region.

At the opening ceremony on the 17th, Busan, alongside participating city delegations, declared "Good Tourism," TPO's new joint tourism vision. Good Tourism centers on five pillars: regional economic reinvestment, residents' quality of life and social carrying capacity, regenerative environmental management, cultural authenticity and preservation, and good governance. It presents a policy direction aimed at ensuring that the benefits of tourism are evenly distributed to cities and local communities.

Busan also participated in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tourism policy consulting session and bilateral meetings with Kota Kinabalu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung to respond to changing tourism environments and expand inter-city exchanges.

In the AI tourism policy consulting session, the city diagnosed how Busan is perceived as a tourism destination in generative AI search and recommendations, and sought advice on directions for improving tourism information and marketing responses.

In addition, Busan held bilateral meetings with representative marine cities such as Kota Kinabalu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung to discuss practical expansions in tourism exchange and cooperation, including the development of joint tourism contents and the creation of joint marketing opportunities.

Meanwhile, following this forum, the City and TPO will host the "2nd Global City Tourism Summit" at Paradise Hotel Busan from October 26 to 28.

The Summit will discuss ways to connect urban economy and tourism innovation centered on local tourism. City representatives, tourism experts, and industry stakeholders are expected to share policy experiences and expand cooperation opportunities through inter-city meetings and business exchanges.

Busan plans to create a stage where cities around the world can discuss the future of tourism and seek practical cooperation, with Busan as the venue.

Kang Da-eun, Secretary General of TPO, stated, "This forum was an opportunity to examine the value that tourism leaves on the local economy and residents' lives, and to share experiences by city. Together with presidency city Busan and other member cities, we will incorporate Good Tourism into each city's tourism policies."

Na Yoon-bin, Director-General of the Tourism MICE Bureau of Busan, said, "We will actively utilize the policy cases and international networks shared at this forum for the development of Busan's tourism. Through the '2nd Global City Tourism Summit' to be held in Busan this October, we will also explore ways to connect the outcomes of tourism with the vitality of the local economy and the improvement of citizens' quality of life, together with cities around the world."