[Sportschosun Reporter Baek Ji-eun] BTS has been named an honorary guest of Bogotá, Colombia.
The city of Bogotá officially designated BTS as honorary guests through Decree No. 413 on September 30, local time.
Being named an honorary guest is an honor bestowed on distinguished visitors who have contributed to citizens’ welfare or urban development in fields such as politics, public service, the arts, sports, science and education. Bogotá recognized BTS for promoting Korean music and culture, raising Korea’s international profile and influencing younger generations since their debut in 2013. According to local media outlet El Universal, the designation had not been made in approximately 10 years.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said, "BTS is more than just a band. I hope that those attending the concert and visiting Bogotá will experience the city itself." He added, "The city of Bogotá recognizes that BTS’s visit is also a special event for the city and will welcome them here as honorary guests."
BTS will kick off their South American tour at Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campín in Bogotá on the 2nd and 3rd. This will be BTS’s first full-group performance in Colombia.
BTS’s concerts are also having a positive impact on Bogotá’s tourism economy. The Bogotá Tourism Observatory, under the Bogotá Tourism Board, estimates that concertgoers visiting to see BTS will spend 99 billion Colombian pesos, or approximately 40.6 billion won, on food and beverages, accommodation, transportation and shopping. Actual air travel demand has also risen sharply. From September 30 through the 4th, flight bookings to Bogotá increased by 59.3% for domestic routes and 39.5% for international routes. This represented a 46.6% increase from the same period a year earlier. Tickets sold outside Colombia accounted for 18.4% of all concert tickets. That figure is about twice the share of overseas purchases for other concerts held locally.
In response, Bogotá will light City Hall and the landmark Torre Colpatria in BTS’s signature purple. On concert days, it will also operate additional public-transit routes for tourists. Eight routes will run from stations near the venue to major areas around the time the concerts end, with service intervals adjusted according to actual demand.
After performing in Colombia, BTS will travel to Lima in Peru, Santiago in Chile, Buenos Aires in Argentina and São Paulo in Brazil.
Reporter Baek Ji-eun silk781220@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
