[🇺🇸] BTS World Tour Sparks Global Surge in Travel Demand to Korea

The announcement of BTS resuming their world tour after nearly four years has triggered a massive explosion in travel demand to South Korea, led by the global fandom ARM

According to data from Hotels.com, inbound searches for Seoul increased by 155%, while searches for Busan skyrocketed by 2,375% within 48 hours of the schedule announcement on January 13. This indicates that global fans began securing accommodations and flights even before ticket sales started, proving that K-pop is a powerful driver of "performance-based tourism

By country, the response from the Japanese market has been overwhelming. Searches for Seoul rose by 400%, and searches for Busan recorded a phenomenal growth rate of 10,545%, followed by Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States.

This phenomenon aligns with the "Tour Tourism" trend, where fans travel specifically to attend concerts. Survey results showed that 70% of respondents expressed interest in traveling for performances, and 43% stated they were willing to cross international borders for their favorite artists, suggesting that a new consumer trend combining music and travel has become firmly established.

Industry experts anticipate that this tour will act as a "cultural tourism catalyst," significantly impacting the overall regional economy beyond the performances themselves.

In addition to international visitors, domestic travel demand is also rising sharply, particularly for Busan (up 3,855%). Analysts note that major live performances have become a decisive factor in choosing travel destinations and serve as a core engine driving both inbound and domestic markets.

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