Finally, Will the 'Bada Bus' Appear in Busan... New Amphibious Tour Bus Operator for Marine Tourism Content Announced

Securing Feasibility for Introducing Maritime Tourism Transport Services

Priority Set for Introduction on Navigable Suyeonggang Route

In November last year, an amphibious bus test drive event was held around the Suyeongman Yacht Marina in Haeundae-gu, Busan. [Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Is the floating 'Sea Bus' finally taking off? Busan City (Acting Mayor Lee Byung-jin) is announcing a public contest to select a private operator for the operation of the Busan amphibious tour bus, a marine tourism content.

Busan City reviewed the feasibility of the project, including profitability, through last year's "Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan for Introducing Marine Tourism Transportation in Busan," aiming to introduce an amphibious tour bus as a new concept marine tourism content that leverages Busan's advantage of being adjacent to the sea and rivers.

The city plans to first introduce the service on the legally navigable Suyeong River route and gradually expand the routes after regulatory improvements to expand the navigation area.

The Suyeong River route covers the water section of the Suyeong River and the land sections including Gwangandaegyo Bridge, Gwang-an Beach Road, and Suyeonggyo Bridge.

Applicants must be corporations or consortiums with offices in Busan as of the announcement date and must have no disqualifications regarding related permits (including licenses and notifications).

▲ A business briefing session will be held on March 30 for companies that submit a letter of intent to participate by March 26. The session will explain eligibility criteria and how to prepare the business plan. At the end of April, a selection committee composed of experts in transportation, tourism, and vessels will select the preferred negotiation candidate, and a business agreement is scheduled to be signed in June.

Acting Mayor Lee Byung-jin said, "We are preparing the amphibious tour bus to enhance the status of the marine city, provide attractions and entertainment to attract tourists, and develop various tourism contents that can satisfy the demand for marine tourism experiences."

He added, "Since this project has been progressing after several attempts, the city will actively support the operator to ensure smooth progress when applying for various permits."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.