There’s no doubt that the Eras Tour has taken the world by storm. Whether you like listening to Taylor Swift or not, you must agree that she has greatly affected the global economy. Within the last year and a half, Taylor Swift has traveled worldwide, playing her 3 ½ hour show in over 53 stadiums. Fans have traveled worldwide with hopes of catching one of these legendary shows, getting their favorite surprise songs, and trading friendship bracelets with fellow swifties.
The Eras Tour has generated a lot of money, not only for the international economy but also for local economies. According to an article from Time, “ Swift has been performing the equivalent of two to three Super Bowls every weekend for the past five months (and six of seven nights at her last round of shows in Los Angeles).” Since the beginning of her tour, Swift has been using some of her proceeds to donate to local causes at most of the shows she plays. While in Europe, she donated to a variety of charities, including the Cardiff Food Bank in the United Kingdom before her shows there. According to the Guardian, her donation has provided thousands of meals for those in need. “Rich Jones, the chief executive of St Andrew’s Community Network in Liverpool … said Swift’s surprise donation would fund food donations for the next 12 months.”
The Eras tour has also created a new market for sellers as Swifties are dying to get their hands on merch. Etsy shops and small businesses can make a large amount of money from selling friendship bracelets, sweatshirts, concert outfits, posters, and much more. The Etsy market has soared as fans from all over the world prepare to go to Swift’s shows, and they spend large amounts of money along with it. Other than bracelets and concert outfits, tour merch is also very popular. Since Swift’s merch sells out quickly, sellers have started designing their own merch, such as cardigans, hoodies, and posters. Swifties have also taken to the song You’re On Your Own Kid from Swift’s Midnights album, where she says “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it” to inspire their bracelets. According to the Washington Post, “One Etsy seller, Kara White, started making the bracelets with her mom earlier this year, when the tour began. They got orders for 1,500 bracelets in a single day as fans prepared for the Los Angeles shows. White and her mom have made about $15,000 this year selling bracelets.”
Swifties don’t only spend their money on concert outfits and merch expenses. The tour has not only created opportunities for merch sellers but has also boosted travel industries. According to The New York Times, her influence on North America alone has been incredible. “As consumers splurged on concerts, meals, vacations and other recreational experiences they missed out on during pandemic lockdowns, one company estimated that the tour could generate $4.6 billion in North America alone from spending on tickets, merchandise and travel.” As thousands of fans fly in for her shows, they fill up hotels, planes, and even trains. In fact, in preparation for the Miami shows in October, the Brightline train is partnering with iHeart Radio to provide a Taylor Swift-themed train experience. According to Travel and Leisure, “On the train, guests can expect Taylor-themed decor, DJs spinning tunes from every era, friendship bracelet swaps, photo ops, a few curated beverages and bites, and some surprises along the way, too.” The experience also offers different options on how to get from the Aventura Station to the Hard Rock Stadium for Swifties coming from all over Florida. For this experience, tickets can range from $209-309.
As the last few shows of the Eras Tour start to come to an end, it has already broken records. The Eras Tour was named the Highest Grossing Music Tour on November 12th, 2023. It has not only rewritten history but has significantly affected the global economy. Her shows have opened up a new era of concert performance and economic development for future generations.
