BTS comeback sparks 103% surge in hotel bookings by foreign visitors

As BTS readies for its comeback concert in central Seoul on Saturday, the number of accommodation bookings by foreign visitors jumped 103 percent this week in comparison to last week, data showed Friday.

According to the data analysis by AllMyTour, an artificial intelligence-based bed bank solution provider, bookings by overseas travelers also increased by 63.3 percent compared to the same period last year, while the figure for the entire month of March rose by 33.5 percent on year.

The data showed that bookings were heavily concentrated in areas near Gwanghwamun Square, where BTS’ will be holding its concert. Almost half (41.8 percent) the reservations this week were for accommodations in Myeong-dong, City Hall, Jongno and Dongdaemun.

By nationality, travelers from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan accounted for the largest share at 41 percent, followed by visitors from the Americas and Europe at 29.2 percent, and Southeast Asia at 26.2 percent, underscoring BTS’ worldwide fan base.

AllMyTour said that within 48 hours of the concert announcement, the number of searches for a trip to Seoul on overseas search engines surged by 155 percent from previous weeks.

According to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, a single BTS concert in Korea is estimated to generate about 1.2 trillion won ($800 million) in economic impact.

“K-content is a key driver that turns foreigners' interest into actual demand for visiting Korea,” said Kim Min-young, sales strategy unit lead at AllMyTour.

“As various cultural experiences, such as K-pop performances and visits to drama filming locations, lead to accommodation and consumption, we will lead the growth of the inbound tourism market through various K-content-linked products.”