Blackpink's Hanoi concert results in $26.5M tourism earnings

Of them 30,000 were foreigners, or 8% of total foreign arrivals in July, according to the city Department of Tourism.

Some hotels around the My Dinh National Stadium, where the concerts were held, reported a 20% increase in room occupancy compared to normal weekends.

Searches for hotel rooms in Hanoi on online booking platform Agoda increased by 10 times in mid-July from the previous week and were 2.5 times the number for neighboring countries such as China, Cambodia and the Philippines.

Before the concerts air tickets from HCMC to Hanoi were sold out despite fares hitting VND8 - 9 million (US$338 - 380) for a round trip, which was more expensive than tickets during peak seasons such as the Lunar New Year.

Tourism insiders said Blackpink's visit has helped boost Hanoi's reputation as a safe and friendly destination.

Phan Dinh Hue, director of Vietcircle Tourism Company, said the shows were a "golden" opportunity for Vietnam to attract foreign tourists since the group has a big global fandom, especially in Asian countries like Thailand, China and the Philippines.

The shows garnered widespread attention in the international media, helping enhance Vietnam’s profile on the global tourism map, he added.

Tran Sy Thanh, chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, sent a thank-you letter to Blackpink.

"The success of the concerts continues to affirm the image of Hanoi as a city of peace, a safe and friendly destination," it said.

"It also affirms the capital’s ability to organize international cultural and musical events."

Hanoi expects to host more similar international musical events to cement its position as a modern city, he added.

Thailand earned more than $20-30 million during Blackpink's concert in January this year.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said the Born Pink - as the group’s world tour that wrapped up in Hanoi was called - concert helped attract a large number of high-spending tourists.

According to The Straits Times, Singapore collected more than $35 million in May.