Taylor Swift's stadium tour has given a sizable boost to local economies, and the announcement of new dates is welcome news for cities that are celebrating the pop star's decision to stop in town.
Swift announced 15 new dates on Thursday, extending her North American tour to November and bringing her Eras tour to Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis and Toronto. Those additional concerts include three back-to-back shows each at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Arena and the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
"Hosting a three-day Taylor Swift concert in downtown Indianapolis has the potential to be an economic game changer for local businesses, restaurants and hotels," Adam Burtner, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce's vice president of government affairs, told Newsweek.
Swift's popularity and its ability to fuel economic success in cities where she's performed have drawn significant attention from economists. Fortune's financial analysts have called the singer's economic impact the "TSwift Lift," while The Wall Street Journal coined the term "Taylornomics," saying that "when Taylor Swift comes to town, Swifties go on a spending spree." The Federal Reserve has even credited Swift with boosting the U.S. economy with her ticket sales.
"With its proven track record of positive economic impact on cities, Indianapolis stands confidently prepared and excited to welcome this momentous musical event," Burtner said.
He continued: "Hoosier hospitality is what we do, be it the Super Bowl, Gen Con, the FFA or hosting the entire NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, and this is our time to shine and impress devoted Swifties with what we do best."
Ashley Hilsman, the executive vice president of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, told Newsweek that while the city was disappointed it wasn't included in the initial 50 tour dates, "New Orleans is thrilled to host Swifties from around the Gulf South in October 2024."
She went on: "With the Caesars Superdome under construction for renovations preparing for the 2025 Super Bowl, we were disappointed that New Orleans would not be included in her original tour dates. This morning's announcement is welcome news that should provide an economic boost for our hospitality industry. The Eras tour is moving from city to city, breaking hotel records across the country."
Swift fans have poured tons of money into local hospitality industries, booking hotel rooms and filling restaurants and bars in the area. Some businesses have even organized Swift-themed events and menus to capitalize on the influx of Swifties who have traveled to watch her perform.
Fan spending has even broke tourism records in cities like Chicago, where Eras tour dates marked the highest hotel occupancy in the city's history.
A recent report from research company QuestionPro said the Eras tour could generate $4.6 billion in consumer spending in the U.S. alone. QuestionPro estimates that fans have spent more than $1,300, on average, on tickets, travel and clothing to attend the tour's shows.
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Katherine Fung is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and world politics. ... Read more
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