Lotte Duty Free signs strategic partnership with Busan Tourism Organization to drive tourism growth

SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free yesterday (1 April) signed a strategic business agreement with the Busan Tourism Organization to boost tourism in the southern city.

Under the agreement, the partners will work together on several key initiatives. These include promoting duty-free store discount partnerships to enhance the sale of both domestic and international tourism products.

Lotte Duty Free and the Busan Tourism Organization will also cooperate to attract more tourists to Busan by sharing tourism information and creating a network between domestic and international tourism operators.

In addition, both parties will launch efforts to drive the growth of the local tourism industry and boost the region’s economic development.

The signing ceremony, held at Busan Tourism Organization headquarters, was attended by Lotte Duty Free Head of Marketing Nam Gung-pyo and Busan Tourism Organization President Lee Jung-sil, along with other key officials.

Other highlights of this collaboration include exclusive Lotte Duty Free discount privileges for participants in Busan’s upcoming SIC (Seat in Coach) and SIT (Special Interest Tourism) programmes, which the Busan Tourism Organization plans to launch this year.

The two tour concepts target distinct traveller segments, with SIC offering efficient access to key regional attractions for conventional tourists via large buses or vans, while SIT provides customised tour experiences designed for niche travellers visiting Busan.

Busan Tourism Organization President Lee Jung-sil said: “Through this partnership, we expect to offer more generous benefits to tourists visiting Busan and stimulate local consumption. We will continue to expand cooperation with various sectors of the tourism industry to revitalise Busan’s tourism.”

In addition, the retailer highlighted its focus on attracting group tourism and free independent travellers (FIT), building on its key competitive advantages.

As reported in March, 3,000 cruise passengers visited Lotte Duty Free’s Busan store, the biggest downtown duty-free location in the Yeongnam region, driving a significant increase in tourist spending.

Tourists received shopping perks, including Lotte Duty Free Gold membership cards and discount coupons, through QR code ads placed on the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail (BGL), which connects Gimhae International Airport to downtown Busan.

The retailer emphasised its plans to continue its marketing initiatives, targeting the arrival of over 10,000 foreign group tourists each month in major cities such as Seoul, Busan and Jeju to help revitalise the duty-free sector.

Lotte Duty Free Head of the Marketing Division Nam Gung-pyo said: “We hope this strategic MOU with the Busan Tourism Organization will help further activate the tourism industry in Busan. Lotte Duty Free will continue to lead efforts to attract both domestic and international tourists, contributing to the development of the local economy through various collaborations.”