Denrick Domingo, an 18-year-old K-pop fan, travels 15,784 miles each year to see his favourite idols perform live. Living in Ibiza, where concerts are rare, he is forced to travel to cities across Europe, including Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, London, and Antwerp, spending €6,761 (£5,887) on tickets and flights over two years. He has attended 33 concerts and has 15 more planned.
Denrick's devotion is part of a growing trend called music tourism, where people travel specifically for music events. In the UK, a record 23.5 million music tourists attended live concerts in 2024, a 23 per cent increase from 19.2 million in 2023. Of these, 1.6 million came from overseas, drawn by acts like Taylor Swift and festivals such as Glastonbury.
K-pop, led by groups like BTS and BLACKPINK, has become a global phenomenon, and European fans like Denrick are seizing opportunities to see them live. Denrick spent €730 on BLACKPINK's sold-out Paris show. He said: 'I don't regret investing my money in concerts. I'm still young and want to enjoy these years travelling and seeing the artists I like most.'
Daniel Hurley, COO of Global Charter, noted: 'More young people are planning trips around concerts and festivals abroad, treating music as the main reason to travel. It's part of a shift towards experience-led travel, where people want something memorable rather than a standard holiday.'
