Article
Canada Prepares for the Next Chapter in its Taylor Swift Love Story
August 15, 2024 4 Minute Read
Getting to be a part of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is a dream for millions of fans and most cities.
As the megastar sweeps through the European cities on her world tour, drawing thousands of friendship-bracelet-wearing fans to each show, Toronto and Vancouver are bracing for the impact of Swift’s final tour stops. Toronto will host six shows from Nov. 14 and 23, followed by three Vancouver shows from Dec. 6 to 8.
The economic effects of Taylor Swift’s tour have been felt by cities along the route. Chicago broke its hotel occupancy record, and Colorado saw a US$140 million bump in its GDP following two Swift shows in Denver. The Eras Tour is expected to generate $4.6 billion in North America alone as Swifties spend on concert tickets, merchandise, accommodation, food and travel.
“Taylor Swift has a huge Canadian fan base and people will go to great lengths to see her upcoming concerts,” says CBRE Hotels Director Nicole Nguyen. “When they do, they are going all out and having the best experience possible while they are there. The scale of her tour’s impact on Canadian markets will be unprecedented.”
Everything Has Changed
The Eras Tour kicked off in March 2023 and became the highest-grossing concert tour ever, generating more than $1 billion by year’s end. Transportation and logistics alone were estimated to cost over $30 million, with a convoy of 90 trucks required to transport equipment between shows. “It’s a massive production,” says Nguyen. “It took time to get the Canadian tour dates booked because there are a limited number of venues that can accommodate her set up while still providing enough tickets to be profitable.”
In Canada, only Toronto’s Rogers Centre and Vancouver’s BC Place fit the bill. The Canadian tour dates saw high demand, with 30 million people estimated to have signed up for a chance to get Toronto tickets. Some superfans even travelled to Europe to save on tickets, which sold at a fraction of the price of Canadian tour tickets, some re-selling for as much as $121,000.
Beyond ticket sales, the Eras Tour is boosting local businesses. A survey of the Denver concertgoers revealed that Swifties spent an average of US$1,327 on concert-related expenses despite challenging economic conditions, a phenomenon dubbed "Swiftnomics.” The average spend could be even higher in Canada. “Canadians have to travel much further than Americans or Europeans to get to the concert closest to them, which will translate into more spending on transportation, accommodation and food,” says Nguyen.
Each Toronto show is expected to draw about 50,000 fans, totalling about 300,000 over the six concert dates. It is likely that a large proportion of the attendees will not live in the area and will be traveling in for the event. “It’s likely that this will be the biggest concert event we have ever seen ,” says Nguyen. “Toronto is no stranger to hosting large concerts and events including the Toronto International Film Festival in September, but the Taylor Swift impact is expected to be big! We’re anticipating major benefits for the local economy.”
Stay Stay Stay
Swifties are having to spend a pretty penny to attend her Canadian concerts. In Toronto alone, ticket sales are expected to total $120 million and the knock-on effects could generate an additional $600 million for the local economy.
Hotel prices during the pop star’s visit are two to four times more expensive than usual. For instance, Hilton Toronto’s website shows that a room on one of the show nights would cost a minimum of $1,900, compared to $323 a week later. The Ritz-Carlton Toronto is showing room prices up to $5,950 for the nights of the concert, compared to $706 the week before or after the tour.
Delta Hotels Toronto appears to be sold out on November 14, 25, 21 and 22. “Many hotels are nearing capacity for the nights of the concerts,” says Nguyen. “But they may be holding back some high dollar value suites for top clients as well as Taylor and her family, along with other celebrities and executives.”
Airbnb may provide cheaper options despite reporting a 1,200% increase in searches in Toronto and a 3,000% increase in Vancouver searches during the tour dates. A recent search revealed several remaining options under $400 per night during Swift’s Toronto sojourn.
The hospitality sector is gearing up to deliver for clients by ensuring their teams have all hands on deck to greet visitors. “Hotel and restaurant operators may implement blackout days for staff vacation to ensure everyone is available to help,” says Nguyen. “They may encourage employees to come in earlier to avoid traffic and could set time limits on restaurant reservations.”
Businesses have jumped on the Taylor train with marketing promotions tied to the tour. When the Toronto dates were announced last year, Westjet encouraged fans to sign up for notifications about flight deals for November 2024. There’s also Taylgate, an event featuring friendship-bracelet-making stations and a DJ spinning Swift’s hits, allowing young fans to bond pre-show.
“Taylor Swift is a phenomenon,” says Nguyen. “No other artist today can command a tour of that scale and magnitude for 18 months. We anticipate that the Canadian cities will see the same incredible impacts as other major global cities.”
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