Published on
November 13, 2025
Busan anticipates higher tourism as South Korea hosts the 2025 International Children’s Book Fair; airlines and hotels gear up for increased visitor demand. This unique cultural event, set to take place from December 11 to 14 at the BEXCO Exhibition Center, is expected to attract over 60,000 visitors from around the world, including families, educators, and literary professionals. As the only international children’s book fair in Korea, it offers a rare opportunity to experience a dynamic blend of literature, education, and family-friendly activities. With Busan’s rising status as a global tourism and event destination, this fair is poised to create a significant boost in tourism, benefiting the city’s airlines, hotels, and local businesses. Airlines like Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are preparing for an uptick in bookings, while hotels across the city are preparing to welcome international guests for an unforgettable experience filled with literature, culture, and fun.
Increased Tourism Anticipated in Busan as South Korea Prepares for the 2025 International Children’s Book Fair; Airlines and Hotels Prepare for Increased Demand
From December 11 to 14 2025, Busan, South Korea, is set to host the largest international children’s book fair in South Korea, the Busan International Children’s Book Fair. The fair will be held at the BEXCO Exhibition Center and will feature authors, publishers, and families from all over the world. This cultural fair is set to be the highlight of 2025 for Busan, South Korea, as it is expected to host over 60,000 international tourists. The travel and hospitality services in Busan will be able to meet the needs of these tourists. This event will make Busan a valued cultural and tourism destination and will provide Busan international tourism as the city more to offer as a cultural destination. The book fair will provide Busan and South Korea with the tourism and travel opportunities for a brighter future.
Expected Tourism Boost Due to The 2025 International Children’s Book Fair
In addition to its beautiful beaches, rich history, and film industry, Busan is expecting higher tourism levels during 2025 Busan International Children’s Book Fair. The fair is designed to build upon the successes of its inaugural year, and this year, the fair will expand its offerings to include special exhibits of more than 400 children’s books, author discussions, hands-on workshops, and an intellectual property marketplace. While the celebration of children’s literature will surely attract its fans, families looking for an uplifting cultural activity will provide additional audience. Such a literary event will surely enhance the promotional value of the city Busan.
No one should be surprised by the influx in tourism created by events in Busan, which is gaining more recognition for tourism and being an events city. In just the first few months of 2025, Busan saw more than a million foreign tourists arriving. As of 2025, Busan had an increase of 24% foreign tourists arriving compared to the years before and with the launched International Children’s Book Fair the tourism increase will be aimed at families and International tourists attending from children’s literature hotspots in Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and China.
Airlines and Hotels Prepare for a Surge in Demand
With the 2025 Busan International Children’s Book Fair coming up, there is a higher anticipation of increased demand coming from international and domestic tourists for the international Book Fair for Children’s literature. This is especially true for flights and hotels in the Book Fair’s destination city. This is already evident with the Book Fair literature delegates, tourists, and even fame children’s literature authors that guaranteed a seat on the flights that are on the routes to Busan’s Gimhae International Airport. We expect increased tourism inflow from Taiwan, Japan, China, and the United States.
Airlines will probably provide special family deals for the event, which will include discounts on children’s flights, family-centric travel packages, and in-flight entertainment tailored for children’s books. As families, educators, and professionals in the literary field will be coming to the fair, travelers can anticipate a greater degree of connection between international airports and Busan. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will provide international travelers with direct flights to Busan from major cities such as Tokyo, Beijing, and New York. This will greatly facilitate access to Busan for families attending the event. Increased routes and flights will be available for domestic travelers as local airlines anticipate the increased demand.
More than airlines, the Busan region’s hospitality sector anticipates a major increase in event-related bookings. Players in the industry, ranging from high-end hotels to family-oriented guesthouses, have also redirected their attention to the hotels and lodging facilities as people from all over the world come to the region. Since December is usually a low tourist volume month for Busan, the event timing presents an opportunity to showcase the region’s hospitality services, which can help the organization to increase bookings on the event days and increase their capacity to service the region.
Families visiting the fair will be offered a variety of hotel options that meet their needs. Many of them will include special packages with family rooms, kid-friendly hotel facilities, and discounted rates for extended stays. For guests seeking a bit of luxury, there are also a number of five-star hotels in Busan that offer great services and wonderful views of the coast. After a busy day at the book fair, families are welcome to take a break and enjoy the beautiful beaches, lively nightlife, and cultural attractions that the city has to offer.
Attractions for Families and Book Lovers Alike
Along with the attractions at the Busan International Children’s Book Fair, there are also many tourist-friendly attractions for visitors to enjoy during their time in the city. Busan has a number of family-friendly activities to enjoy, which makes the experience even better for visitors of all ages.
Families heading to the fair should take the time to visit Gamcheon Culture Village. This hillside village has great views and beautiful murals, and it gives visitors a sense of Busan history and culture. It is a great way to spend the afternoon after a day at the fair. Guests can easily spend a couple of hours wandering narrow streets and beautiful alleyways to appreciate the various pieces of art. Another family-oriented place is Busan National Science Museum where kids can get a hands-on experience learning about science.
For people wanting a quiet time, Haeundae Beach is a great way to take a break from the hectic pace of the city. It is true that December is cold and not the time to swim, but the beach is great for a scenic walk and it offers great views of the sea and Busan Tower. For families with kids, Busan Aquarium is a great activity because it is right by Haeundae beach. It offers and entertains kids with marine life.
Beomeosa Temple and Jagalchi Fish Market are two cultural spots that history and food lovers will enjoy in Busan. These places dive deeper into the cultural legacy of Busan, allowing visitors to appreciate history while experiencing the Busan International Children’s Book Fair in all its modern glory.
There are many flights to the city each day, and detailed travel guides will make your trip to the 2025 Busan International Children’s Book Fair much more manageable. Busan visitors will touch down at Gimhae International Airport, only 15 kilometers from the city center and contained within South Korea’s borders. Flights are available to Busan from major global cities like Tokyo, Beijing, and Los Angeles, with many domestic flights from Seoul and other South Korean cities.
Travelers attending the event may want to book their tickets as soon as possible because they may run out. Direct flights to Busan may run out. When deciding to buy tickets, consider the airline’s family travel promotions. Busan’s two big airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, have great family policies. They provide families with children’s meals, entertainment, and priority boarding.
For families with children traveling to Busan, family hotel rooms with children’s programming, play areas, cribs and larger bathrooms may be more convenient. Family rooms may provide more comfort and be more convenient to find. These hotels provide relative proximity to the fairgrounds so families traveling to the event can reach other attractions in town.
For guests attending the Busan International Children’s Book Fair, travel insurance can cover unplanned situations, like canceled flights, medical needs, and other emergencies. Travel insurance policies can provide peace of mind as they cover event cancellations, so you will be covered financially if you will not have to attend the fair.
A Great Opportunity for Publishers and Literary Enthusiasts
The 2025 Busan International Children’s Book Fair is a great opportunity for tourism and hospitality industries and for children’s book publishers and professionals in the book industry. More than 160 children’s book publishers and authors from Korea and abroad will come to the fair to display their latest works and have signing events to interact with the public. For publishers, the fair is an opportunity to access new international markets, consider new intellectual property opportunities, and make various licensing deals.
Publishers will also have an opportunity to participate in the fair’s IP marketplace and showcase their books for potential translations or adaptations. This will be valuable for international publishers that want to acquire foreign rights to popular children’s books and expand their offerings.
Beyond the business opportunities available during the fair, authors and illustrators will be able to engage with their fans and network with children’s literature educators, librarians, and other professionals. Fair workshops and panel discussions will give participants another opportunity for engagement by discussing future children’s literature, changes in the publishing industry, and how books help children imagine.
Busan anticipates higher tourism as South Korea hosts the 2025 International Children’s Book Fair from December 11-14, attracting over 60,000 visitors. Airlines and hotels are preparing for a surge in demand, offering a boost to the city’s hospitality and travel industries.
Final Thoughts: Family-Friendly Events
Families, children’s book lovers, and culture lovers will all appreciate what the 2025 Busan International Children’s Book Fair brings to the city of Busan. This event will attract many international tourists and Busan’s tourism, airline, and hospitality will gain business. Since visitors to the fair will also enjoy sightseeing, Business will be ready for the increased demand. Airline and hotel businesses will also be ready. There are many hospitality businesses in Busan. There are many different sightseeing activities. This Busan International Children’s Book Fair is for everyone. It is ideal for meeting families with children, but also for publishers.
