BTS is set to make a big comeback with their world tour ARIRANG, and the announcement has already caused a surge in global travel and economic activity.
The tour will start on April 9, 2026, in South Korea and will travel to 34 cities across North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. In total, BTS will perform 80+ shows.
After the tour was announced on January 14, searches for travel to Seoul from overseas rose 155 percent. Busan, where the group will perform in June, saw searches jump 2,375 percent. Countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan also showed big increases in travel interest. In South Korea, searches for Seoul rose 190 percent and for Busan 3,855 percent.
In Brazil, searches for bus tickets to São Paulo increased more than 600 times after the tour was announced.
Economists say the BTS tour could create more economic activity than even the biggest tours in history, including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
The Guardian reported that cities hosting the concerts will see higher demand for hotels, restaurants, and other services. Normally, a single concert ticket brings three times its value to the local economy, but experts say BTS will exceed that amount.
Previous BTS concerts in Los Angeles and Las Vegas generated more than $100 million and $160 million, respectively. The 81-show tour is expected to have an even bigger impact.
The 2025 National Image Survey of South Korea showed that BTS had the most positive effect on South Korea’s global image. Jungkook was ranked sixth among solo artists, the highest of any Korean soloist. The tour is also expected to promote Korean culture, music, and products worldwide. Fan-driven pop-up events and K-pop markets in host cities will give local small businesses new opportunities.
The tour will open in Goyang on April 9, 11, and 12, and BTS will perform in Busan on June 12 and 13. The North American leg begins on April 25 in Tampa and will include 28 shows across 12 cities. The group will also perform in cities such as El Paso and Foxborough for the first time. Additional dates in Japan and the Middle East are expected to be announced.
The tour will promote BTS’s fifth full-length album, ARIRANG, which will be released on March 20, 2026. The album will have 14 tracks, written with input from the members. Its title, named after a traditional Korean folk song, symbolizes separation and reunion. This will be BTS’s new release after nearly four years.
