The announcement of BTS’s new world tour is already jolting tourism and local economies across the globe.
Kicking off April 9 at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium, BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' will hit 34 cities across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The 82-date run is triggering immediate travel and spending spikes in host markets.
According to Hotels.com, within 48 hours of the Jan. 14 tour reveal, searches from overseas travelers to Seoul jumped 155%. Busan―set to host shows in June―saw a staggering 2,375% surge. Key Asian markets like Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan logged multi-thousand-percent spikes in Busan searches. Domestic interest surged, too: searches within Korea rose 190% for Seoul and 3,855% for Busan.
The reaction abroad is red-hot. Brazil’s news radio BandNews FM spotlighted BTS’s October Sao Paulo date, citing ticketing platform ClickBus data that searches for bus tickets to the city soared more than 600 times following the announcement.
The Guardian zeroed in on the tour’s economic ripple effect, reporting economists’ assessments that it’s the kind of global event that could meaningfully move city economies across North America. Expect demand to swell across tourism, lodging, and consumer spending in every host city.
Citing Bread Financial, reports note that one concert ticket typically generates more than triple its price in local economic activity. But Tourism Economics argues that “the average doesn’t apply to BTS―they’ll far exceed it, and it’s difficult to even gauge how large this tour’s total impact could be.”
BTS isn’t just lifting economies―they’re elevating South Korea’s global image. In the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s 2025 National Image Survey, BTS ranked No. 1 among figures who positively shaped the country’s image. Jungkook also placed highest among solo artists at No. 6.
Up next, BTS will release its fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," on March 20 at 1 p.m. KST. The 14-track set explores identity, longing, and deep love―universal themes poised to resonate with fans worldwide.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)