The phrase "set off a boom" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to any loud noise, such as an explosion, clap of thunder, or gunshot. For example: The fireworks display set off a boom that echoed around the neighborhood.
The agreement set off a boom.
Banks in other countries were not so lucky.Cheap money set off a boom in personal borrowing, especially against homes.
Mr. Obama's election set off a boom in merchandise, official or otherwise, that has come to be called Obamabilia.
The Republican tax law passed last fall left companies flush with cash by lowering tax rates, which in turn set off a boom in stock buybacks.
In an era of competitive preschool admissions tests, not surprisingly, this research has set off a boom in demand for classes, books and videos.
The company's i-mode service set off a boom in Internet-enabled phones, and DoCoMo controls almost 60percentt of Japan's cellular phone market.
A recent drop in mortgage rates has already set off a refinance boom, but analysts say home prices in many parts of the country are still too high for many would-be buyers.
Demand for motorbikes is soaring, setting off a boom in robberies and killings.
But by the 19th century, Europeans had discovered the utility of rubber as well, setting off a boom.
Each hopes that thousands of revelers will descend on its shores to welcome the next millennium, setting off a boom in tourism that will carry the local economy well into the next century.
His presidency has yielded more — and more elaborate — coins that are shinier, flashier and even bigger, setting off a boom for coin manufacturers, counterfeiters and collectors, with one official Trump challenge coin recently fetching $1,000 on eBay.
