BTS’s Comeback Expected to Generate Greater Economic Impact Than Taylor Swift’s Tour, Driving Surge in Accommodation Costs

There are assessments suggesting that the economic impact of a single BTS concert could surpass that of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and indeed, accommodation prices in South Korea and the United States are rising sharply while tourism demand is exploding.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in the U.S. was declared the highest-grossing tour in history, generating approximately 5 billion dollars in direct consumer spending across the country. However, BTS’s 2026–2027 world tour will cover 34 locations on five continents, and economists predict it will spark economic activity worth billions of dollars.

Timothy Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University in the U.S., said, “BTS’s tour will be the event of the year. Tourism, hotel occupancy rates, and economic activity at all performance sites will increase to extraordinary levels, and this impact could even exceed that of Taylor Swift’s tour.”

The first U.S. show will take place on April 15 in Tampa, Florida. Fans are booking flights and hotels well in advance of ticket purchases. Leslie Huynh, 28, plans to attend 22 performances across 11 cities during the tour and estimates she will spend at least 6,000 dollars. She mentioned that in addition to watching the concerts, she goes on what she calls a “BTS pilgrimage” to visit restaurants and tourist spots that BTS has been to.

Economists note that BTS’s ARMY members are as loyal and willing to spend as Taylor Swift’s Swifties. Seoyoung Kwon, an economic researcher at Yonsei University, said, “BTS fans are far more passionate and dedicated than fans of Western artists. Since BTS hasn’t held tours for a long time, many of their fans are eager to attend performances not only in their home country but also in other countries and cities.” A 2024 U.S. survey found that nearly 60% of Gen Z and Millennial respondents are willing to travel more than 50 miles for concerts, and non-residents who attend such events spend about 3.4 times the ticket price in the local economy.

Although BTS’s 2021 “Permission to Dance” tour consisted of only 12 performances in 3 cities, the 4 shows in Los Angeles contributed over 100 million dollars to the local economy, while Las Vegas saw earnings of 160 million dollars. This upcoming tour, scheduled for 79 shows, is expected to far exceed those figures.

The economic benefits are also becoming evident in South Korea. On the first day tickets went on sale for the concert at Gwanghwamun, all club-premium seats for the third show at the Goyang Sports Complex in April were sold out immediately, with the waiting list exceeding 100,000 people. Compared to the highest ticket price of 110,000 won for BTS’s 2018 Seoul concert, the highest price for this Goyang show has risen to 264,000 won.

Accommodation costs surged significantly during BTS’s concert in Busan in June, causing issues. The Busan city government held a meeting to discuss temporary measures such as opening university dormitories and youth training facilities as public accommodation options. Global interest is also growing dramatically, to the point where Mexico’s current president described BTS’s concert in his country as a “historic moment.”