SOUTH KOREA | Agoda has witnessed a rise in travel demand to South Korea's Goyang and Busan, as well as to several destinations across APAC hosting BTS concerts.
This surge was seen among South Korean travellers following the announcement of the K-Pop group's world tour dates, as it’s BTS's first tour in four years.
On the day of the announcement, Agoda observed a nearly eight times increase in accommodation searches in Goyang, where BTS's tour kicked off on the 9th of April.
Busan, where the concert will take place in June, also saw a 47 percent increase, as fans prepare to run to these iconic concert destinations.
The announcement ignited a wave of excitement among BTS fans across Asia, with the highest demand for South Korean tour destinations coming from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and China.
Notably, searches to Goyang and Busan from the Philippines increased by over seven times, while Hong Kong recorded a 145 percent rise. Meanwhile, searches from China more than doubled, with fans "burning up" to experience BTS live, given the absence of a planned stop in their market.
Beyond Goyang and Busan, other APAC cities also experienced a "mic drop" in search activity among South Korean travellers.
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) topped the list with a 22 percent rise in accommodation searches after the announcement, followed by Melbourne (Australia) (16 percent), Bangkok (Thailand) (15 percent), Kaohsiung (Taiwan) (10 percent), and Singapore (9 percent), rounding out the top five.
BTS concert fever did not end on the announcement day. Agoda's data also showed that accommodation searches for Goyang for the actual concert dates rose nearly 185 times among fans in the region, with the strongest demand driven by travellers from Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong.
Searches from domestic travellers for the Goyang concert dates also increased nearly 44 times, underscoring the scale of the BTS effect in South Korea.
"Following the announcement of BTS's world tour, we are seeing a 'dynamite' increase in both inbound and outbound travel demand, as fans are willing to travel far and wide to see the group reunite after a four-year hiatus,” said Jay Lee, Regional Director, North Asia at Agoda.
“Agoda is thrilled to help them experience the 'euphoria' of catching the K-pop group live at these exciting tour destinations. With Agoda, fans can easily plan their trips and ensure they don't miss a beat of the BTS magic, all while enjoying great deals on accommodations and flights."
