"Expected 150,000 influx..Honorary VIPs" BTS South America tour already heating up

*This content was translated by AI.

South American cities hosting BTS concerts this October are in an uproar. While local governments are taking measures to prepare for a large influx of audiences, tourism authorities are showing intense interest by introducing their performances as key cultural and tourism content.

BTS will kick off its South America tour on October 2 in Bogotá, Colombia. They will then perform a total of 14 shows across five cities: Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and São Paulo, Brazil. Notably, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina are regions where BTS will hold their first full-group concerts.

Bogotá, the starting point of this South America tour, has highlighted BTS's visit as a major cultural event for the city. The official tourism site 'Visit Bogotá', operated by the Bogotá Tourism Institute (Instituto Distrital de Turismo), introduced their concert as a large-scale event and cultural festival. Alongside this, it explained that "BTS is one of the groups representing 21st-century global pop music based on their music, large-scale performances, and strong bonds with fans worldwide (ARMY)," and attached significance to their visit by stating that Bogotá has become one of the world's major music stages in 2026.

On October 21 and 23–24 (local time), La Plata, Argentina, where concerts are held, saw the city government, provincial government, and production company join forces to welcome a large audience. Local media El Día recently predicted that over 150,000 people would head to the city based on estimates released by La Plata. It also forecasted significant inflows from overseas countries including the United States, Colombia, Chile, and Uruguay. In response, Mayor Julio Alak held a working meeting with officials from security and urban control departments of the production company, Buenos Aires Province, and La Plata City to discuss comprehensive operational plans. Mayor Alak stated, "We are preparing to welcome visitors in the best possible way to enjoy an event on a global scale."

The La Plata City Council unanimously passed a motion at its regular meeting held last July to designate BTS as 'Honorary Guests' (Huésped de Honor). 'Honorary Guest' is the highest level of official courtesy awarded to distinguished visitors or world-renowned figures in the cultural and arts community who visit the city, according to La Plata City ordinances. The City Council cited the seven members' cultural impact, promotion of youth rights, and participation in international activities related to culture as the background for this selection.

Peru's leading newspaper El Comercio covered news of the K-pop cultural event 'Road to 7: El Comienzo' held by Lima ahead of BTS's visit. The event took place on the 12th–13 at Lima's representative nighttime tourist attraction, the Magic Water Circuit (Circuito Mágico del Agua). This site is registered in the Guinness World Records as a fountain complex within the world's largest public park. The K-pop cultural event featured dance covers, video screenings, and cultural programs.

Chile introduced BTS's Santiago concert as a major event in the 'Festivals & Events-Culture & Heritage' category through its official tourism promotion site Chile Travel. Chile Travel highlighted that "the global K-pop wave is landing in Chile. With BTS's return, Santiago will transform into a global center for K-pop."

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*This content was translated by AI.