General Information

Busan, Korea

THE MICE CITY, BUSAN

• 2020 ranked 5th in Asia, 17th in the world as Best Host City of International Conferences (According to 2020 UIA)
• Busan, recently crowned Asia’s No.1 destination in 2018 by Lonely Planet and 52 Places to Go in 2017 by The New York Times, is where contemporary lifestyle meets long standing history. Busan’s thriving culture and exceptional landscapes offer an abundance of experiences to inspire and amaze visitors. With mountainous coasts, serene and time honored historical premises, world’s celebrated shops and traditional markets and loads of museums and galleries, Busan is the one and only perfect destination for bleisure travelers.

ACCESSIBILITY

• Busan is easily accessible from all cities around and globe and so close from other major cities in Asia. There are many direct flights from Asia, there is one of the world’s Top 20 largest and busiest airports in country and five other world’s Top 20 airports in neighboring countries.
• Furthermore, Gimhae International Airport (PUS), located near Busan, connects the city to 18 destinations. For participants traveling to Incheon International Airport near Seoul, will have an effortless transfer from the airport terminal to Busan directly either via air or by Korea’s high-speed train (KTX).

• Visa-free Entry is another advantage, as ordinary passport holders from 112 countries (Europe 43, Americas 32, Asia & Oceania 21, Africa & Middle East 16) visiting the country temporarily may enter without a visa in accordance with the visa-exemption agreement or principles of reciprocity or national interests.

CITY INFRASTRUCTURE & TRANSPORTATION

• Transportation Infrastructure
  • Busan, a transportation hub in Northeast Asia, is the "gateway to Korea", as it has excellent transportation infrastructure linking land, sea, and air. The maritime city has Korea's No. 1 international trade port and an international airport that connects it to its neighboring countries, as well as many nations in western Europe.

• Public Transport System
  • BUS: Over 27 express and residential buses and 129 city buses serve Busan residents on a daily basis. There are 3 major Express and Inter-City bus terminals; Busan Central, Seobu Intercity, and Haeundae Intercity Bus Terminal.
  • METRO: There are five lines which are easily navigable given their distinct colors. Destination announcements are made in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese.

HOUSING INVENTORY

• A wide range of accommodations from premium hotels to condos and youth hostels to suit all budgets, nearby tourist attractions and various amenities including the world's largest department store Shinsegae Centum City and the world's longest cantilever roof Busan Cinema Center, both of which are registered in the Guinness Book of World Records, will ensure the successful hosting of AWTEC 2024 in Busan

SAFETY AND SECURITY

"Imagine you are a woman, walking alone at midnight in Busan. There is nothing to fear. In fact, you would feel safe and sound."

• In the midst of natural and manmade disasters witnessed across the globe, delegate safety is one of the key factors in choosing a conference destination. Over the past few years, Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey has ranked Busan in the Top 10 cities for personal safety and quality of living in the Asia Pacific region. Also, Designated as an ‘International Safe City’ for the second consecutive year (ISCCC, 2019).
• When it comes to safety, elements including the use of firearms and illicit drugs and crime rates against persons should be given careful consideration. The use of firearms and illicit drugs is strictly prohibited for nationals and foreign residents in Korea.
• There are well established comprehensive security systems in place. Local security and police have extensive experience hosting global summit meetings including the 2005 APEC Summit and the 2014 and 2019 KOREA-ASEAN Commemorative summit.

Conference and Exhibition

• Various ocean energy conferences and exhibitions are being held in Busan. Busan will create a ocean energy city for the first time in the country, and Busan citizens will participate in the development of marine-energy technology by utilizing the characteristics of the marine capital.
• Many affiliated and cooperative organizations participate in the ocean energy conference in Busan

Maritime City

• Oceanix is a modern version of Noah's Ark that has been promoted for climate refugees since 2019. It is the world's first maritime city planned under the judgment that 30% of the world's population (2.4 billion) living in coastal areas is exposed to the risk of flooding due to the climate crisis.
• In November last year, the U.N. Habitat finally selected Busan as the world's first maritime city among the world's leading business candidates, including Busan City, Singapore, New York, and Abu Dhabi, which expressed its willingness to participate.
• The total area of Oceanix in Busan is about 19,000 pyeong, and many floating modules are expected to be connected and built in a connected form. Each module in the city is used differently for specific purposes, such as living spaces, research facilities, or accommodations.
• The city will be fully designed to be fully sustainable using energy produced by solar panels, and all water used in the city will be recycled and self-sufficient in cooperation with the Zero-Waist Design Center.