If you thought scoring Taylor Swift tix was an attempt to break the bank, wait until you try to book a hotel.
like MarketWatch reports, thousands of fans made plans to travel to Europe, where it's easier and cheaper to attend Swift's The Eras tour. But finding a hotel or short-term rental in the cities where she is performing has been “a price nightmare.” Availability is rare and room rates are double and quadruple the typical rates.
And this is not just a European issue. The phenomenon known as “passion tourism” has also hit the USA, reports IndyStar.
Swift's The Eras Tour makes its way to Indianapolis this November, and even though it's four months away, accommodations are already scarce. Visit Indy executive vice president Chris Gahl says nearly every hotel room in the city is snapped up, with prices increasing at triple 2023 rates.
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About 87% of the concertgoers who fill the 70,000 seats at Lucas Oil Stadium for each of the singer's three sold-out shows come from out of town. Gahl says there's been an increase in Airbnb searches dwarfing those who've passed on previous events in Indianapolis — a 7,000% increase in searches compared to last year's data for the same time period. This even exceeds the interest generated by the 2024 solar eclipse.
With more than 200,000 fans expected to pour into Indianapolis over the concert weekend, the city's tourism sector is set to witness an all-time high—comparing the pace of searches and bookings for other popular destinations like Miami and Vancouver. The Swift Effect shows the profound impact celebrity tours can have on local economies. If you are a small business owner in a country where the Eras Tour is passing through, our advice is simple: book now!