Economists cite Swift’s shows as a key factor pushing up tourist arrivals and hotel room rates in March
Taylor Swift’s six-night performance at the National Stadium have drawn hundreds of thousands of attendees. PHOTO: BT FILE
SOLD-OUT concerts by acts such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran helped propel a 50 per cent jump in event attendance at the Singapore Sports Hub this year, from 2023.
The five major concerts that the National Stadium hosted in the first half helped mark 2024 as a “watershed year,” Sports Hub said on Wednesday (Dec 18).
Swift’s The Eras Tour in early March was the highlight, where Singapore was the only nation the pop star performed in Asia outside of Japan. The last of her six-night concert was the largest ever staged in Singapore, with 63,000 attendees.
Economists cited her shows as a key factor pushing up tourist arrivals and hotel room rates in March.
Sheeran’s The Mathematics Tour also drew more than 60,000 fans, his largest on record in Asia, Sports Hub added.
Asian pop stars helped boost attendance in the second half of 2024, with Andy Lau and Jay Chou drawing regional visitors. Some of them even attended both concerts during the three-night overlap, based on the statement.
Sports Hub also hosted Singapore’s first Papal Mass since 1986, which was presided by Pope Francis. About 50,000 attended the historic event, while many more viewed its live stream.
In 2025, Sports Hub will host the inaugural edition of the Singapore Tennis Open, as well as the World Aquatic Championships and World Para Swimming Championships.
As for concerts, Asian artistes appear to dominate the calendar. Mandopop’s Stefanie Sun is set to return to the stage at the Singapore Indoor Stadium after an 11-year break, while K-pop group Seventeen will perform two shows at National Stadium in January.
