BTS World Tour Effect...Global Tourism Industry 'Stirred', Surge in Travel Searches for Seoul and Busan

BTS's upcoming world tour starting in Goyang this April, covering 82 performances across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, is shaking the global tourism industry and once again proving the economic ripple effect of Hallyu culture.

According to data cited by their agency Big Hit Music from the global accommodation platform Hotels.com, the inbound travel search volume for Seoul from overseas surged by 155% compared to the previous week within 48 hours after the announcement of BTS's world tour 'Arirang'(ARIRANG) on the 14th.

In particular, for Busan, where the debut anniversary concert will be held in June, the search volume from overseas tourists skyrocketed by an astonishing 2,375%, garnering immense interest. It was reported that travel searches for Busan as a destination increased by thousands of percent from major Asian regions such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Additionally, domestic travel demand has also significantly increased, with search volumes for Seoul and Busan as destinations rising by 190% and 3,855%, respectively.

The overseas cities that BTS will visit are also buzzing. Brazilian radio Band News FM reported that following the tour announcement, the search volume for bus tickets to São Paulo increased by more than 600 times in relation to the concert in October.

The British Guardian has noted the economic ripple effect that BTS's tour will bring, comprehensively analyzing the increase in tourism, accommodation, and consumption in the host cities. The Guardian described this tour as a "global event that could significantly impact the economies of cities across North America."

Citing expert opinions, the Guardian explained that concertgoers typically spend about 3.4 times the ticket price on travel and tourism, but stated that "this average does not apply to BTS," making it difficult to even gauge their economic ripple effect.

BTS's influence extends beyond the economy, contributing to the enhancement of the national image as well. In the '2025 South Korea National Image Survey' released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, BTS was selected as the number one 'Korean who positively influenced the image of Korea.' Member Jungkook also ranked the highest among solo artists at sixth place.

BTS will embark on a large-scale world tour, performing a total of 82 shows in 34 cities across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, starting in Goyang this April. Following the release of their fifth studio album 'Arirang' on March 20, they will hold a comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul the next day, officially kicking off their activities.

The BTS world tour is expected to establish itself as a global cultural phenomenon and economic event, transcending mere music performances, and imprinting the status of K-pop and Korea's soft power on the world stage.