BTS concert causes surge in hotel rates, some international ticketholders now trying to sell theirs

SINGAPORE: The globally renowned South Korean boy band BTS is performing a series of concerts in Singapore from December 17 to 22 at the National Stadium, and reports say that hotel prices around the concert dates have surged, much like what happened when Taylor Swift made Singapore her only Southeast Asian stop for the Eras tour in early 2024.

According to reporting from CNA, the demand for hotel bookings is said to have gone up 50 times, and prices for one hotel were 10 times higher for that period, while they could go up by 50% at another. While locals will undoubtedly fill seats, many of the attendees are from other Asian nations, especially China, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries.

Interestingly, the report added that some concertgoers are finding hotel rates in Singapore so expensive that they’re considering booking accommodations in Johor Bahru or even sleeping at Changi Airport. When Ms Swift performed in Singapore, a similar surge in hotel prices drove some fans to stay at Johor Bahru and Batam.

Since tickets for the BTS concerts in Singapore went on sale—and were sold out—earlier this month, netizens have been crowdsourcing for tips on budget travel and accommodations in the city-state, and fellow netizens have been urging them to book both flights and hotel rooms at the soonest possible time, as these are likely not going to go lower as the concert dates near.

On a Reddit thread for travellers from the Philippines, a user on the platform said they were “considering staying in Johor Bahru and crossing into Singapore early on concert day.”

Admitting that hotels in Singapore were out of their budget, they added that the price they saw for a JB hotel, which was around S$92 for three nights, was “a steal.”

In contrast, on another Reddit thread on the subject, a commenter wrote, “17 Dec Thur, 1st concert day, Geylang seedy hotel is 200sgd a night.”

On the other hand, according to a post author on r/BTSArmyCentral, some non-Singaporeans who bought tickets in Singapore are now selling them after realising how expensive flight and hotel tickets are.

They wrote that these ticket holders should have done some research first, given that Singapore is well-known to be a pricey destination.

“I’ve seen so many local ARMYs struggle to get even a single ticket, while at the same time I’m seeing international fans proudly posting that they secured tickets for all four Singapore shows, only to turn around and resell them later for BS reasons,” they wrote.

However, the Singapore Police Force issued an advisory on June 6, reminding the public that under Ticketmaster’s terms and conditions for the sale of concert tickets, they cannot be resold or transferred. People who use resale tickets will not be allowed into the venue and will be turned away without a refund, the police added. /TISG

Read also: Singapore lauded for ‘masterclass in concert economics’ with Eras tour, especially after Messi fiasco in HK