Seoul: Foreign tourists who recently visited South Korea for concerts by K-pop giant BTS stayed longer and spent more than general inbound tourists, according to a government analysis released Wednesday. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute and the Korea Tourism Organization, analyzed on-site surveys, telecommunications, and credit card data from the two latest performances by BTS in South Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, foreign visitors attending the March 21 concert in Seoul's Gwanghwamun area stayed an average of 8.7 days and spent about 3.53 million won ($2,377). This is 2.6 days longer than the average stay for general inbound tourists in the first quarter of this year, and 1.08 million won more than their average spending of 2.45 million won. Attendees at the three-night concerts earlier this month in Goyang, just northwest of the capital, stayed an average of 7.4 days and spent 2.91 million won. Mobile and card transaction data showed a sharp economic impact around Goyang Stadium, with foreign visitor numbers rising 35-fold and spending increasing 38-fold during the concert period compared with a year earlier.
The government is seeking to leverage the global popularity of Korean pop culture, including K-pop music, dramas, films, and games, to promote tourism beyond Seoul into regional areas. "We've confirmed that large-scale 'hallyu' performances have a clear effect in attracting visitors to regions," said Kang Jung-won, a tourism policy official at the ministry. "Hallyu," also known as the Korean Wave, refers to the global popularity of Korean pop culture.
As part of those efforts, the ministry plans to hold a two-week welcome event in June tied to the BTS concerts in Busan, the country's second-largest city, aiming to encourage overseas visitors to explore other parts of the country. Kang added that the government will focus on linking foreigners' visits for experiencing Korean culture with broader cultural tourism offerings to encourage them to stay longer in the country.