Hotel Bookings Canceled in Busan Ahead of BTS Concerts Amid Price Surge
BTS, the globally renowned K-pop group, has announced its first world tour in four years. This highly anticipated event has brought significant attention to Busan, South Korea, one of the key stops on the tour. However, the excitement has been overshadowed by reports of hotel booking cancellations and price surges, raising concerns among fans and authorities alike.
According to The Korea Herald, shortly after the tour schedule was announced on January 14, numerous fans from both Korea and around the world reported that their previously confirmed hotel bookings in Busan were canceled. Some fans even claimed that the same rooms were later relisted at much higher prices. A Filipino fan shared her experience on social media platform X, stating that two of her confirmed bookings were canceled following the tour announcement. One of these bookings was for a hotel near the concert venue, set to coincide with BTS's performances on June 12 and 13.
'I had booked four nights at a cost of 45.6 million KRW (approximately 400 SGD), but the hotel pressured me to cancel my reservation,' she explained. When she checked again later, she found the same rooms still available but now priced at over 300 million KRW.'
Similar incidents were reported by other fans, who alleged that hotels either demanded they cancel their bookings or pay significantly higher rates to keep their reservations. In some areas, accommodation prices during the concert period have reportedly skyrocketed to more than ten times the usual rate. Some hotels cited room shortages as a reason for cancellations, yet screenshots circulating online appear to show the same rooms being offered at vastly inflated prices.
The Busan leg of the tour is expected to be particularly popular, coinciding with BTS's debut anniversary. The surge in demand has led to widespread criticism of what some describe as 'price gouging' by hotels. Korean President Lee Jae-myung addressed the issue on January 16, denouncing such practices as 'malicious acts that disrupt the market system and cause significant harm to everyone.' He emphasized that those responsible should face penalties far outweighing their illegal gains.
In response to these concerns, the Busan city government announced plans to collaborate with the Korea Tourism Organization to strengthen oversight of accommodation providers. Local district offices will now accept reports of unfair pricing and forced cancellations. Officials warned that hotels found charging prices inconsistent with their listed rates or violating booking terms could face downgrading in official evaluations.
Despite these measures, challenges remain in regulating hotel pricing practices. Current laws do not explicitly prohibit 'excessive pricing,' as room rates are generally considered a matter of business discretion. A Busan official clarified, 'We don’t have direct regulations targeting high accommodation prices. However, if hotels charge fees higher than their listed prices, they can be held accountable.'
Busan aims to attract 5 million international tourists annually by 2028. Critics warn that such pricing practices could tarnish the city's global reputation. Calls are growing for stronger regulatory measures to curb exploitative pricing and ensure fairer treatment of consumers.
In conclusion, while the BTS tour presents an exciting opportunity for Busan to showcase its vibrancy, the associated challenges highlight the need for balanced approaches that protect both businesses and consumers.