MUSIC
BTS World Tour 'ARIRANG' Set to Boost Global Tourism and Economy
Starting on April 9 at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium, BTS will embark on their 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'' across 34 cities in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The tour, consisting of 82 shows, is already having an immediate impact on tourism and the economy in these regions.
According to global accommodation platform Hotels.com, travel searches to Seoul surged by 155% within 48 hours following the tour announcement on the 14th. Searches for Busan, where a concert is scheduled for June, skyrocketed by 2375%. Major Asian regions such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan saw a similar surge in interest for Busan, with domestic searches for Seoul and Busan increasing by 190% and 3855%, respectively.
The international response is equally enthusiastic. Brazil's BandNews FM highlighted BTS's upcoming October concert in São Paulo as a major topic. They reported that searches for bus tickets to São Paulo increased by over 600 times following the tour announcement, citing data from local transport platform ClickBus.
The Guardian, a UK daily, focused on the economic impact of BTS's world tour, quoting economists who described it as a global event capable of significantly affecting city economies across North America. The report anticipated increased demand in tourism, accommodation, and consumer spending in each city hosting the concerts. Bread Financial, a financial services company, noted that a single concert ticket typically generates over three times its value in local economic activity. Tourism Economics, a tourism-focused economic analysis firm, emphasized that BTS's impact would far exceed these averages, making it difficult to estimate the full economic ripple effect of the tour.
Beyond their economic influence, BTS is also enhancing South Korea's global image. In a recent survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, BTS was ranked as the top influencer positively impacting Korea's image. Additionally, Jungkook was recognized as the highest-ranking solo artist at sixth place.
BTS is set to release their fifth studio album 'ARIRANG' on March 20 at 1 PM. The album will feature 14 tracks exploring themes of identity, longing, and deep love, resonating with global music fans.
By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter one@tenasia.co.kr
