- International visitor numbers surge 35-fold and card spending 38-fold on BTS Goyang concert days

- MCST to host “Welcome Week” linked to BTS Busan concerts to promote K-Culture-linked regional travel

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), together with the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute (KCTI), and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), conducted on-site surveys of audiences at BTS’s Gwanghwamun and Goyang concerts and analyzed mobile network and credit card data to assess whether large-scale Hallyu performances drive inbound tourism, longer stays, and higher spending in Korea.

International Visitors to BTS Gwanghwamun and Goyang Concerts Stay Longer and Spend More

According to KCTI’s on-site surveys of audiences at the Gwanghwamun (March 21) and Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium (April 9, 11–12) concerts, international visitors stayed for an average of 8.7 days and spent KRW 3.53 million per person, showing longer stays and significantly higher spending than average international visitors. International audiences at the Goyang concerts stayed an average of 7.4 days and spent KRW 2.91 million per person. Before and after the concerts, they also visited related destinations, such as Yongsan, Myeongdong, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), where the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL” program was held. These findings show that international visitors are expanding their travel routes beyond concert attendance itself by visiting the concert host area and nearby destinations.

Results of BTS Concert On-Site Survey

Source: International Visitor Survey preliminary data (KCTI); BTS Concert On-Site Survey (KCTI)

Surge in International Visitors and Spending Near BTS Concert Venues on Concert Days

KTO compared and analyzed mobile network and credit card data from the administrative district near the BTS Goyang concert venue, Daehwa-dong in Ilsanseo-gu, against the same period last year. The analysis showed that over the three concert days, international visitor numbers in the area surged 35-fold and card spending 38-fold compared to the same period last year, providing a major boost to the local economy.

Big Data Analysis of BTS Goyang Concert Days (3 Days Total)

Source: Mobile network and credit card big data, Korea Tourism Data Lab (KTO)

Promoting K-Culture-Linked Inbound Tourism as Follow-Up to the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting

At the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting held on February 25, the government announced plans to accelerate Korea tourism promotion by leveraging K-Culture, which has drawn global attention, and to drive a major leap in regional tourism by expanding K-Culture experiences to local areas. As a follow-up, the MCST and the Visit Korea Committee (VKC) will host a Welcome Week from June 1 to 15 in conjunction with the BTS Busan concerts on June 12 and 13 to encourage K-Culture-linked regional travel. In addition, the Ministry plans to expand K-Culture experiences linked to K-pop concerts and continue developing flagship Hallyu tourism routes.