Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Tourism Organization (President Lee Jeong-sil, hereinafter referred to as the "Organization") announced that the 2026 Busan Tourism Startups they nurture are applying QR code-based tourism services to field sites, accumulating usage performance, and accelerating service advancement and business expansion. By integrating QR-based services into tourist destinations and event sites, the startups are enhancing information accessibility for tourists, validating business feasibility based on actual usage data, and driving expansion into domestic and international tourism markets.

○ "Whatsub Planet Co., Ltd.," "Expanding Touchpoints with Foreign Tourists through QR-Based Multilingual Tourism Services"

The 2026 Busan tourism startup "Whatsub Planet Co., Ltd." (CEO Lee Jun-hyeok) has stepped up service expansion by introducing "Whatsub Geoje" and "Whatsub Korea," which are QR code-based multilingual smart tourism guidance services.

"Whatsub Geoje" was established by installing QR codes at approximately 50 major tourist attractions in Geoje, enabling tourists to access tourism information, local restaurants, directions, and audio guides in 14 languages without installing a separate app. Over about three months following the service launch, it recorded 913 QR scans and 2,408 detailed page views, with foreign users accounting for approximately 64%.

Whatsub Planet also participated in the "10th World Smart City Expo (WSCE 2026)" held at BEXCO in Busan from September 9 to 11 to showcase "Whatsub Korea." The company is currently driving entry into domestic and international tourism markets by discussing service expansion potential with officials from Kobe, Japan, on-site.

Whatsub Planet plans to expand its services to major tourist destinations nationwide—including Busan, Seoul, Gyeongju, and Geoje—and review overseas expansion into regions such as "Whatsub Japan" in the future.

○ "Beyond-D Co., Ltd.," Spreading a Virtuous Cycle Model through the Pet Health Promotion Week Campaign

The 2026 Busan tourism startup "Beyond-D Co., Ltd." (CEO Jung Sung-wook) is running the "Pet Health Promotion Week" campaign commemorating the 2nd "Animal Protection Day" from the 6th to the 24th in the Suyeong and Gwangalli areas of Busan through its integrated pet platform "Majung." Through this campaign, health and welfare support is provided to a total of 200 pets—including free internal microchip implantation for 100 pets and premium health checkups worth 300,000 KRW including blood tests for 100 pets. The campaign was funded entirely by the proceeds from "Maro's Playground," a pet edutainment festival held at Pyeonghwa Park in Nam-gu, Busan, last September.

"Maro's Playground" was promoted in connection with the Busan Tourism Organization's "Busan Tourism Startup Academy" program. Through the program, the company planned and operated pet-companion tourism content, confirming the potential to merge local tourism and pet culture. The event attracted approximately 5,000 visitors over two days, and at the time, smart guidance using QR codes and other on-site touchpoints enhanced convenience for tourists from other regions as well as global tourists from Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, and elsewhere, proving the potential for pet tourism and regional exchange.

"Beyond-D" plans to continue expanding a virtuous cycle model that simultaneously achieves local tourism revitalization and pet welfare by linking pet-companion tourism, culture, health, and welfare services.

An official from the Organization stated, "Busan tourism startup companies are proving their growth potential by expanding touchpoints with tourists and creating practical usage performance and business feasibility through field verification utilizing digital technologies such as QR codes. We will continue to actively support them so that they can leap forward into innovative tourism companies representing Busan through close support tailored to each company's growth stage and business characteristics."

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