Inside Taylor's 'Eras Tour': The numbers that changed local economies
What's the story
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour has not just broken records but also given a massive boost to local economies across the globe.
The tour announced during a difficult economic phase characterized by inflation and declining household savings in the US, drew an estimated 10 million spectators.
The surge of fans resulted in higher hotel and restaurant bookings, ride-sharing demand, and temporary job creation in host cities.
Here's how Swift rewrote history.
Record-breaking revenue
'Eras Tour' generated over $2B in ticket sales
The Eras Tour started in Glendale, Arizona on March 17, 2023, and ended with its 149th show in Vancouver on December 8, 2024.
The tour earned more than $2 billion from ticket sales alone, shattering the previous record held by Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour which sold tickets worth approximately $939 million.
Swift's tour grossed $2.2 billion from the sale of over 10 million tickets, Pollstar's analysis revealed.
Economic boost
'Eras Tour' had a significant local economic impact
The Eras Tour's economic impact was similar to that of a Super Bowl—with fans shelling out thousands on tickets, accommodation, outfits, and merchandise.
According to a QuestionPro study, cited by Quartz, consumer spending for the North American leg of the tour in 2024 generated an average of $1.7 billion.
"We've just witnessed and experienced perhaps the single most impressive display of stardom in the history of entertainment," said Dan Fleetwood from QuestionPro Research and Insights.
Local impact
'Eras Tour' boosted local economies and set new records
The Eras Tour's opening show in Glendale attracted over 1,50,000 fans, more than double the Super Bowl's visitors a month prior.
The tour also broke attendance records at international venues like La Defense Arena in Paris and London's Wembley Stadium.
Swift became the first solo artist to perform eight times at Wembley Stadium during a single tour, shattering Michael Jackson's previous record.
Job creation
'Eras Tour' created jobs and doubled hotel revenues
Swift's concerts in Cincinnati alone brought an estimated $92 million in net new local expenditure, while her shows in Denver generated around $140 million for Colorado.
The six-show run in LA alone created an estimated 3,300 jobs.
Reportedly, hotel room revenues doubled in Pittsburgh and Nashville during the tour stops from June through August last year.
The tour also had a massive impact on the UK economy—boosting it by $1.26 billion, an Action Network analysis first reported by Newsweek said.