Swifties Down Under Splurge $300 Million on Eras Tour

From Sydney to Melbourne, fans have ‘Blank Space’d' their wallets to support their idol.

Fans of US singer Taylor Swift, also known as Swifties, queue for merchandise at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) ahead Swift's three shows in Melbourne on February 16, 2024. Taylor Swift is playing to 260,000 fans over three concerts in Melbourne starting February 16 as part of her Eras World Tour. Photo by William WEST / AFP

Pop superstar Taylor Swift’s seven concerts have brought $300 million (US$195 million) to the Australian economy, surpassing the expected figure by $160 million, according to National Australia Bank (NAB).

Sydney was ablaze with Taylor fever last weekend as over 320,000 ticket holders spent $135 million in the city, including $33 million on accommodation, tourism, and hospitality.

Across just four days, spending in the city’s CBD was up 20 percent compared to the previous month.

NAB Executive Julie Rynski said Taylor’s run of concerts boosted the economies of Melbourne and Sydney with a late summer spending spree dubbed the “Taylor effect” in both cities.

“While Taylor declared Melbourne the love of her life after her three nights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Sydney certainly made her think twice over the weekend by taking Tay Tay fever to the next level,” she said.

After wrapping up her final Sydney concert for the Eras tour on Feb. 26, the singer’s presence led to a doubling of spending on general merchandise, while bars and pubs saw a 50 percent increase in revenue.

“From hotel rooms to heaving restaurants, merchandise stands to packed pubs, her four Sydney gigs created a buzz in the city not seen since before the pandemic,” Ms. Rynski said.

“There’s no doubt businesses and consumers have had a difficult last 12 months or so, but despite this, it’s clear people are continuing to carefully evaluate and prioritise their spending on the things or experiences they truly value,” she said.

Tickets for the sold-out shows ranged from $79.90 (US$52.40) for the cheapest seats to $380 (US$249) for dance-floor tickets, with top VIP packages priced at $1249 (US$820).

Despite the cost crunch, thousands of “Swifties” eagerly spent their hard-earned money at pop-up shops over the few days, with many waiting in long queues for hours.

Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 in Los Angeles on Oct. 11, 2023. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

KPMG director Ian Welch mentioned the true economic gain stems from international “Swifties,” approximately 10,500 of whom spent about $500 on the concert day.

“Pre-covid data shows the average international visitor to Australia stays 11 days and spends around $6,000; so working on the (admittedly fairly big) assumption that the average international Swiftie does the same then in addition to their $500 concert outlay they could spend an additional $5,500 —a total of $63m,” he said.

In total, Swift’s Australian concerts attracted over 600,000 attendees, making The Eras Tour the first in history to gross over $1.53 billion, according to industry estimates.

The three shows in Melbourne set a record in MCG history as the stadium’s top-selling concert series and the best-selling artist of all time.

With 96,000 fans attending each night at the MCG, Ms. Swift’s three shows set the highest attendance records of her career.

The shows are also among the MCG’s top three most attended concerts, with only Ed Sheeran’s two performances in March 2023 drawing larger crowds of 108,000 and 109,500.

“Melbourne, what do I even say to you after over 288,000 of you came and danced with us in the last 3 nights ??! That was unforgettable. You were on another LEVEL. Thank you for the memories. I’ll revisit the ones from this weekend often,” Ms. Swift wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The “Cruel Summer” singer personally pocketed around $5 million (US$3.3 million) from each show.