By now, it shouldn’t be a secret that American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift will be performing six sell-out shows at the Singapore National Stadium come 2 March.
Swift will be performing on March 2, 3, 4, and 7, 8, 9. This will be her only stop in Southeast Asia for The Eras Tour, which could explain the fervent anticipation for her shows for those around the region.
While Swifties in Singapore are eagerly anticipating their idol’s electric performances — and hoping to catch a glimpse of her since her arrival on 27 Feb — fans flying in to catch the show are feeling the pinch.
Hotel and airline ticket prices have surged, specifically during the period when Swift is holding her gigs.
Even budget-friendly hotels, such as Hotel 81, are a part of the ‘Swift Surge’ phenomenon.
Over in Singapore, a check shows that the approximate nightly prices for Hotel 81 Bugis in late February range between S$119 to S$209 on the travel booking platform, Agoda.
From 5 March to 7 March, however, rooms are going for approximately S$259 a night.
Source: Agoda
Meanwhile, V Hotel Lavender has approximate nightly prices as high as S$468 during this time frame — a steep increase from the S$198 per night during the last two weeks of February.
Prices appear to return to S$198 per night by 12 March.
Rooms at ibis budget Singapore Ruby — a hotel that is a five-minute car ride away from the concert venue — are going for an approximate price of S$102 per night in end February.
At the time of writing, only one date is available for booking on Agoda during the time frame of 2 to 9 March.
This is for a room on 7 March, when the approximate price for a one-night stay is almost three times higher than usual at S$304.
Source: HotelDekha.com
Global hotel and accommodation search platform, trivago, has also noticed an increase in hotel prices in Singapore during Taylor Swift’s concerts.
From 3 to 9 March, hotel prices are 10% higher compared to the whole month, said Johannes Thomas, CEO of trivago.
The average price for hotels in Singapore in March 2024 is S$333. Meanwhile, the average price per night from 3 to 9 March is S$365.
Additionally, hotel rates increased by 20% during Taylor Swift’s concert tour in Singapore this year compared to the same travel period in 2023 — during which hotel prices averaged at S$307.
“This trend is consistent with the surge in accommodation prices observed during major tours in different countries and cities (Beyonce; Taylor Swift) as thousands of travellers will be travelling to attend the event,” said Mr Thomas.
Meanwhile, Booking.com has observed an increase in travel interest coinciding with Taylor Swift’s upcoming concerts in Singapore.
This is marked by a 14% year-on-year increase in international travel searches for Singapore during the concert dates.
“The primary source countries for these bookings span the Asia-Pacific region, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, India, and Indonesia,” said a Booking.com spokesperson.
“Such high-profile events have not only become a major draw but also play a pivotal role in influencing travellers to choose Singapore as their preferred destination, generating a positive halo effect on related tourism activities and experiences.”
For 35-year-old Fadila Sungkar who is based in Perth, Australia, staying at a friend’s house in Singapore was the best option after considering budget hotels and holiday rentals on Airbnb.
She noted that prices were considerably higher and some were already fully booked.
Fadila, who works for the Government, told MS News that she secured her plane tickets with Singapore Airlines in July 2023, right after she bought her concert tickets.
“Looking for cheaper tickets was quite challenging especially from Perth,” said Fadila.
“I spent almost S$1,500 for plane tickets, but I think it’s not a big deal to see your favourite artist.”
The price was for one return ticket with 20kg additional baggage.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Tami S who is flying to Singapore from Jakarta, Indonesia had been waitlisted for her miles redemption booking with Singapore Airlines (SIA).
On 20 Feb, the senior manager in the Tech division of a mining company was told that her return flight from Singapore was cancelled as it could not be confirmed.
In the end, she had to choose two different airlines for her trip there and back. Her total expenditure for a round-trip amounted to about S$1,000 for two adult tickets and one child ticket, with additional baggage.
Tami said that the direct flight on AirAsia from Jakarta to Singapore on 29 Feb came up to S$350.
Meanwhile, the flight back from Singapore on 4 March with Malaysia Airlines — which includes a transit at the KL Airport — totalled an estimated S$700.
In response to queries from MS News, a spokesperson from SIA said that SIA and Scoot have seen an increase in demand for flights to Singapore in March, particularly from Southeast Asia.
Though it is unable to disclose specific figures, its spokesperson shared that the airlines’ airfares are determined by supply and demand, and therefore, are subject to change.
Jetstar Asia similarly saw a 20% increase in demand for routes connecting destinations such as Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta, to Singapore during the period of Taylor Swift’s concerts, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
There has also been an increase in demand for hotel rooms in Singapore during this period.
Cluster general manager for Raffles Sentosa Singapore and Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, Cavaliere Giovanni Viterale, told CNA that the resort’s occupancy will be at “peak levels from early March onwards”.
He also noted that the majority of the reservations came from Southeast Asia.
Edeline Tiong, the general manager of M Hotel Singapore, said that it observed a spike in demand in local hotel bookings during the first two weeks of March ahead of the concerts.
CNA reported that M Hotel is seeing a 30 per cent increase in demand from Southeast Asia.
This ‘Taylor Swift effect’ is not exclusive to Singapore.
Australian cities also saw similar hikes, with some airlines and hotels there charging up to three times their regular rate due to overwhelming demand.
Also read: Thai PM claims S’pore paid Taylor Swift up to S$4M/show for exclusivity in Southeast Asia
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Featured image adapted from @taylorswift13 on X and Make My Trip for illustration purposes only.
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