Taylor Swift boosted Asia-Pacific hotel demand — and Europe is next
It’s no secret Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” is the hottest concert ticket in town…in just about every major city around the world.
But the latest numbers from the 17-night Asia-Pacific leg of the concert tour should motivate travelers to book their hotels for the upcoming European leg. If you don't, you might find “You Need to Calm Down” about paying high rates for a mediocre-at-best guest room.
Hotels in Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore benefitted from Swifties who needed a place to stay after belting out their favorite songs at the popstar's performance. Total concert attendance ranged from 220,000 people across four nights in Tokyo to 330,000 people across a six-night stint in Singapore.
Neighborhoods immediately around the concert venues saw the biggest surge in hotel performance. Hotels in Singapore’s Marina Bay submarket near Singapore National Stadium performed 70% better while Swift was in town compared to the same dates a year ago, according to hotel data firm STR.
Hotels in the Sydney West submarket near the Australian city’s Accor Stadium performed 65% better than a year ago; those in Tokyo near the Tokyo Dome performed 61% better than a year ago.
Most of this was driven by higher nightly rates charged during the concert dates. Tokyo East, the submarket closest to the Tokyo Dome, saw hotel rates a whopping 55% higher during the Swift concert than a year prior.
What the hotel execs say
The Swift bump in business isn’t just anecdotal. The U.S. Travel Association reported last September that the total economic impact of “The Eras Tour” in the U.S. likely eclipsed $10 billion. This came from combined direct spending from concertgoers as well as indirect spending from people who still went to a city Swift was playing in — but didn’t actually attend the concert itself.
"Our hotels have seen huge surges in demand and [average daily rates] during Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' with a city's [hotel performance] nearly doubling during her concert dates," Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano said last year during a company analyst meeting. "Customers want to be at these events and enjoy these experiences in person."
Over at Wyndham, it’s a similar story.
"The Taylor Swift model is absolutely factored in. It's the new line item in revenue management," Dimitris Manikis — Wyndham's president of Europe, the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa — told TPG last fall. "How do we actually maximize it? It was always sports events, but now it's not just sports anymore. It's everything. Airlines are now factoring it. Cities are factoring it."
Speak, er, book now for European dates
STR previously reported that European cities are already seeing hotel rooms book up fast ahead of “The Eras Tour” sweeping across the continent. Hotels in Edinburgh are nearly 80% booked for the nights Swift performs in June at the city’s Murrayfield Stadium.
Hotels in Dublin are more than 60% booked for the dates Swift performs at Aviva Stadium; Lisbon as well as Cardiff and Liverpool in the U.K. all have hotels more than 50% booked during “The Eras Tour” dates in each respective city. Zurich and Warsaw, Poland, hotel advance booking occupancy rates are hovering around the 50% mark during Swift’s concert, per STR.
Keep in mind: It’s still about two months before the regular summer travel season picks up. European hotel rates were already sky-high in recent years thanks to the surge in Americans returning after pandemic travel restrictions were lifted.
Add a Swiftie surge, and it’s looking like it will once again be a great summer for European hotel owners…but maybe not so great for your wallet.
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- A comparison of luxury hotel programs from credit card issuers
- Which credit cards offer the most lucrative rewards for hotel stays?
- The best hotel rewards programs in the world
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.