by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:25 PM ET, Thu December 14, 2023
Once upon a time, the planets and the fates and all the stars aligned..." Taylor Swift
Global superstar Taylor Swift isnt only one stealing fans hearts around the world with her Eras Tour: shes taking center stage in a global tourism boom, and everyone from tour operators to world leaders to travel advisors are taking notice.?
Most of us likely understand that entertainment, such as sporting events and concerts, are intrinsically tied to the travel industry, but weve never seen it like this before. Taylor Swifts U.S.-leg of her tour, which spanned twenty cities across a period of five months, brought in $5 billion in direct spending.?
The U.S. Travel Association estimates the entire impact of her U.S. tour could be as high as $10 billion. QuestionPro compares the initial $5 billion as greater than the gross domestic product of over 50 countries.?
The city of Pittsburgh, for example, reported 145,579 people in attendance for Swifts two weekend concerts, which were in June. Of those, only 17 percent were from within Allegheny County, with the rest coming from further away, encouraging greater travel spending through plane tickets, hotel stays and more.
County-wide hotel occupancy for that period was up 31 percent from the same time in 2022, reaching 95 percent, with hotel rates ballooning 106 percent higher than in June 2022. In fact, the month of June broke the highest hotel tax revenue in the countys history.
Concerts are such a big draw for out-of-town visitation for destinations like Pittsburgh, said Jerad Bachar, President & CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH. These concerts are an integral part of our overall calendar of events every year. Last year, we had over 20 mega concerts at our three stadiums from April to October. Those 20 concerts are critical for everything we do. They also support a lot of other events and venues that are hereThe impact is felt throughout the entire community.?
The total for Pittsburgh? Some $46 million in direct economic impact.
The Industry Takes Note of the T-Swift Travel Era
"Grab your passport and my hand..." Taylor Swift
The Taylor Swift Travel Era is going strong. Tour operators like Contiki are offering combined tour and concert experiences for Swifts European tour, while others within the industry are finding unique ways to bring Taylor Swift fans together regardless of whether shell be there or not.
A young woman walks by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. (Photo Credit: Contiki)
Marvelous Mouse Travels launched an intimate Taylor Swift fan cruise group experience for next year, reserving 50 cabins for the group onboard an October, 2024 sailing on Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas.?
In My Cruise Era, as the experience is called, quickly sold out the first 50 cabins. The agency opened a max of 200 cabins for the experience, which also sold out after the news gained popularity online, earning the travel agency a spot in some major headlines. The experience isnt affiliated with Taylor Swift herself, but aims to bring Swifties together.?
Kari Dillon, Owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels, says the success of her agencys group is due to a desire to share in what they love together and invest in experiences, a desire that her agency, which began offering theme park vacations, is built upon.?
The Takeaway
"And I don't know how it gets better than this..." Taylor Swift
Yet its not only people in the industry who understand Taylor Swifts economic impact: government heads like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have taken to social media to request Swifts tour to come to their countries.
A report by Forbes, published in July, noted the Chilean president, the mayor of Budapest and the leader of Thailands Move Forward Party also requested their destinations be added to her global tour, each noting her immense popularity and the economic boost each destination of her tour receives.?
Taylor Swifts Eras Tour continues through next summer in destinations like Toronto and Vancouver, Sydney and Melbourne, Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, Vienna, Warsaw and London. Its popularity shows no signs of slowing down, and neither will Taylor Swifts boost in tourism across the globe.?
So whats the key takeaway from the Eras Tour? Music, fandoms and events can bring people together in powerful ways, and create lasting benefits for destinations that welcome them.?
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
