It’s the Next Era of the Taylor Swift Travel Boom – Are You Ready for It?

According to a Skyscanner Travel Trends report, 44% of Americans polled would take a short flight to see their favorite musician or band in concert, with 18% saying they’d fly farther. That rises to 60 percent if it means paying less for concert tickets.

In 2024, these gig-trip travelers combine their curiosity for new experiences and desire to explore the world with their love of their favorite artist to craft once-in-a-lifetime vacations.

One show definitely fueling global travel, the record-breaking Taylor Swift Eras Tour resumes this month with 85 sold-out stadium shows in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Will Travel for Taylor

In 2023, Swift’s tour traveled to 20 American cities, where concertgoers averaged $1,300 of spending on travel, hotel stays, food, merchandise, and costumes, creating a total U.S. economic impact of more than $10 billion. According to Hotels.com, the average Swiftie stay is 2.5 days, resulting in sold-out hotels and jam-packed cities wherever the tour goes.

“Almost 70% of those we surveyed say they are more likely than ever to travel to a concert outside their hometown, while 44% would travel to take in a concert as an excuse to visit a new destination,” says Melanie Fish, chief trend tracker for Expedia Brands. One of those travelers is Alana Paris, a Florida resident who, along with her friends, preregistered for different Europe Eras Tour dates in the hopes of securing summer concert seats.

“We were selected for the ticket sale lottery for the Madrid show. I’ve never been to Spain, so we are making a vacation out of it,” explains Paris. “We’ll spend three days in Barcelona and then head to Madrid for three days, ending with the concert.”

With a majority of the Eras Tour dates in 2024, fans continued to try to secure tickets even if they struck out previously. For example, Christina from Southern California, who couldn’t get any United States tickets but could purchase for a Switzerland show, combined her desire to see Swift perform with a European summer vacation.

“We’ve never been to Switzerland, and I thought, why not? Over three weeks, we’ll travel to Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland with two other families. The moms will attend the concert while the dads stay back with the kids for the night,” shares Christina, Founder of Rosy Respark and a self-proclaimed huge Swiftie.

A Swift Uptick in Bookings

Opodo, a leading online travel agent, revealed how the Eras Tour drives this interest at scale in concert locations. The tour announcement skyrocketed searches for Stockholm, Warsaw, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Lyon, Milan, and Vienna. Additionally, American Swifities drove a significant increase in interest in Paris, Madrid, Dublin, Amsterdam, Zurich, Hamburg, and London.

While most U.S. concert dates occurred in 2023, nine bonus shows are in the 2024 schedule in Miami, New Orleans, and Indianapolis.

“We’re expecting 200,000-plus visitors to Central Indiana and sold-out hotels throughout the region,” shares Morgan Snyder of Visit Indy. “With Indy being a driveable Midwest destination for most Americans, we anticipate Swifties who don’t have a concert ticket might come to hang out with fellow fans.”

Fill Itinerary Blank Spaces

With an average of 72,000 tickets per concert, The Eras Tour is a love story for the tourism business. In addition to hotel packages and pre-concert dinners, tour companies are crafting Taylor-made experiences.

Delta Vacations offers Taylor-inspired activities and tours in Paris, Edinburgh, London, and Zurich. For example, Swifites can book a day trip to the Edinburgh Lake District to see Windemere Peaks, the inspiration for her hit song, “The Lakes,” or a day tour of London, including a ride on the Eye of London just as Taylor did in the “Me!” music video.

With six November concerts, Toronto has curated The Ultimate Weekend itinerary for travelers to paint the town red. Also, Contiki Tours offers European adventures that coincide with shows in Dublin, London, Stockholm, and Paris.

Book Now To Avoid Bad Blood

According to Lighthouse data, The Eras Tour will create the highest room rate of the year for each city it passes through. For example, Amsterdam hotels are up $173, Cardiff Wales is up $162, and Dublin is up $108.

“The demand for the August concert weekend in Vienna is notably higher compared to other weekends, with several five-star properties and accommodations near the stadium already fully booked,” adds Helen Bitschnau, B2B Communication & Media Relations, Austrian Tourist Office, Inc., a Virtuoso Preferred Partner. “The anticipation surrounding Taylor Swift's concerts has undeniably created a surge in demand for accommodations, reflecting the significant impact on tourism in Vienna during this period.”

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.