HOW TO GET THERE
Busan is the second-largest city in Korea and is also its most southeastern point. Busan’s Gimhae International Airport is well connected to destinations around the region including flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Australia.

The city is three hours from Seoul by high-speed train, which is faster than taking a domestic flight due to the location of Incheon Airport being one hour outside Seoul.

BASIC FACTS
For the purposes of business events groups, Busan can be divided into two separate sections: the first is the downtown area with its thousands of different bars, restaurants and entertainment options.

However the focal point for most groups is the Haeundae Beach district. Within a ten-minute radius of Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BEXCO) there are 11 high-end hotels on offer with 3,358 rooms, several beaches, a thriving bar and restaurant district, and off-site event spaces such as Nurimaru APEC House.

The surrounding properties include Westin, Novotel, Haeundae Centum, Seacloud and Paradise Hotel. (Lotte is located in the downtown area).

BEXCO is a modern convention and exhibition centre whose plenary hall can hold 5,800 delegates. Its ballroom can seat a further 2,490 people and there are translation booths for up to 11 languages. Its largest pillarless space is 26,500 sqm.

The venue has previously hosted prestigious international events including ITU Telecom Asia, the 2005 APEC summit meeting and the 2006 UNESCAP Ministerial Conference on Transport.

MAJOR HOTELS
Lotte Hotel Busan is in the downtown area of Busan, away from the other major hotels. The 760-room hotel has just reopened its Club Floor and Lounge after a total renovation. Westin Busan is built on one of the city’s best seaside locations. The 290-room hotel is only five minutes from BEXCO and features eight meeting spaces with the largest able to seat 600 people.

The 538-room Paradise Hotel is a local Korean property that is one of the city’s best choices for business events groups. Its beachfront location, large outdoor gardens, modern design and elegant suites are all world class. Its meeting facilities are also contained on a single level including a ballroom that can hold 700 theatre-style. There are another nine meeting rooms ranging in capacity from 14 to 220 people.

The 326-room Novotel is located directly on Haeundae Beach and was taken over by Accor in 2006. The hotel’s largest meeting space can hold 400 theatre-style and it also has a further nine meeting rooms.

The 543-room Haeundae Centum is directly opposite BEXCO and is only a two-minute walk away. The 444-room four-star property only opened recently.