This Night is Sparkling: Swifties and the Impact of The Eras Tour
Taylor Swift is in her sold-out stadium era, and destinations across the U.S. are enjoying the afterglow of thousands of fans traveling for “The Eras Tour” and spending their dollars at restaurants, accommodations, and retail shops.
The boom felt in host cities has been termed the “Taylor Swift Economy,” and Swift herself is on track to break $1 billion in touring revenue. Call it what you want — this tour is making a splash.
But what else can we learn about the impact of “The Eras Tour” and how its success might shift the way destinations pursue headliner events in the future?
We took a deep dive into the geolocation and spending data that power Zartico’s Destination Operating System™. By looking at data for five of the cities that have hosted Swift so far, we’re able to see how Swifties travel and what they like.
Are you ready for it? These five trends top the charts of our latest analysis:
1. Eras Tour shows attract concert-goers from the entire region.
Two out of three attendees travel less than 30 miles to see a show, and most of the remaining attendees live within 300 miles of the stadium.
The Las Vegas shows in late March drew the most geographically diverse crowd of the locations we analyzed, with more than 20% of attendees traveling 300 miles or more. As one of the least expensive tickets, the Las Vegas shows brought in Swifties from many metros that didn’t have a tour stop of their own.
Swifties traveled from across the U.S. to see the Las Vegas show at Allegiant Stadium.
2. Swifties will shell out for multiple shows, within limits.
One out of six attendees will go to multiple shows on the same weekend. But in cities where Taylor plays for three days, only one in 40 fans attend all three shows.
3. On concert day, fans have a singular focus.
Attending a Taylor Swift concert is an all-day experience. After investing hundreds of dollars for a ticket and planning for a 3+ hour performance (excluding opening acts), it’s unsurprising that concert-goers are observed at few other places on the day of the show.
We begin to see peaks of visitation at host stadiums as early as 10 a.m. on concert days — usually popping up right where the merchandise stations are located.
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Bright spots of concentrated device activity show up around merch stations early on show days.
4. Swifties are Starbucks lovers (and restaurant lovers and hotel lovers).
On track to realize a potential $4.6B in economic impact across the United States, it is no surprise that Taylor is driving up occupancy, ADR, and lodging revenue. Smith Travel Research reports that “The Eras Tour” generated $98.2 million in hotel revenue in the first three months alone.
What may be more surprising is that concert-goers spend more at stadiums than football fans do. At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, average spending during Swift concerts rose 40% above levels observed during Giants or Jets games.
5. Stadium shows have an unexpected spillover effect.
Social media is full of photos and videos of large crowds gathered outside of stadiums, fans singing along to the performance happening inside the arena. Despite many venues banning the practice of “Taylorgating,” geolocation data confirms what TikTok already knows.
At MetLife Stadium, 47% of devices observed in the parking lot were never observed in the stadium. Although rideshares and parental chauffeurs likely make up a portion of this group, it’s clear that there were plenty of people in the parking lot who weren’t going to the show.
Although device activity is concentrated within the arena during this show at MetLife Stadium, many possible “Taylorgaters” are also observed in the parking areas.BONUS: Dear John, I see that we don’t share an audience.
Anyone who has followed the drama between Swift and her ex John Mayer won’t be surprised to learn that the two musicians saw less than 1% of audience crossover in cities where both performed.
Zartico POV: 3 takeaways for destinations
For cities hoping to find their own event-driven gold rush, here are a few things we’ve learned.
- Hosting a Taylor Swift-level concert can have an impact comparable to hosting the Super Bowl. But unlike the Super Bowl, Swift books multi-day engagements that multiply the impact. Be creative in the opportunities you pursue.
- Top-notch concerts draw a regional audience, opening up new possibilities for marketing around local activities or extended stays. Imagine who might be introduced to your destination via your next big event.
- Understand behavioral patterns so you can plan accordingly. The insights in Zartico’s Destination Operating System go beyond measuring and reporting — they enable real-time strategic planning to prepare for what’s next.
