Events such as music concerts are massive money spinners for destinations but what if it goes horribly wrong? After three concerts by Taylor Swift had to be cancelled in Vienna, Austria, earlier this month – amid terror threats – Vienna’s tourism and hospitality sector stepped up to repair the damage.
“Swiftonomics” refers to the economic influence experienced by cities hosting pop superstar Taylor Swift’s Eras concert tour this year. While many cities reaped the rewards of an influx of tourists, what happened in Vienna?
Thousands of Taylor Swift fans, nicknamed “Swifties”, from around the world flooded into Vienna in the days leading up to her three-night concert run. However, with less than 24 hours’ notice, the tour was cancelled due to a terrorist threat targeting the concert.
In the wake of the cancellations, the hospitality industry stepped up to ease the disappointment by encouraging fans to enjoy the city in other ways.
Austrian Airlines instituted some exceptions to its cancellation policy, giving customers who had not yet used their return tickets the option of cancelling the trip and receiving a voucher for the cost of their flights instead.
For fans already in Vienna, the tourism industry created memorable crowd-pleasing experiences.
“As a small gesture of comfort, all ticket holders for the cancelled Taylor Swift concerts will receive free access to our public pool at Stadionbad as well as all city-operated museums,” Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig said in social media statements.
The Albertina Museum, which offered free entry, publicised an exhibition by artist Gregory Crewdson, highlighting his influence on Swift’s Lavender Haze music video. It also played Taylor Swift music in the building, resulting in impromptu sing-alongs by visiting fans.
Le Burger offered free burgers to anyone who had tickets to the show. The restaurant attracted queues that ran around the block for the three cancelled concert days. Other businesses offered free coffees and ice-creams. Austrian crystal maker Swarovski handed out small gifts to queues of Swifties at its location in tourist hotspot Stephansplatz.
Google Trends data reveals searches for “Things to do in Vienna” peaked on August 8 – the scheduled day of Swift’s first concert. Hotels offered special activities for their guests, ranging from showing the Eras tour film to friendship bracelet-making events and suggestions for local parties and activities.
Given the impact of the tour on economies around the world, it’s not surprising the Austrian tourism and hospitality industry were keen to keep Swifties happy. Research released by Barclays Bank in May indicated that consumers were likely to spend almost £1 billion (€1,17bn) in the UK across her 15 tour dates in London, Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh. According to the report, Swifties were set to spend £848 (€994) on tickets, travel and accommodation – 12 times their spend on an ordinary night out.
Tom Corbett, Head of Group Sponsorship for Barclays, said: “Fans are increasingly going all out on experiences that resonate on a personal level, turning every concert into a potential holiday, every ticket into a cherished memory and every event into an opportunity to splash out on new outfits, food and merchandise.”
The 2024 Mastercard Travel Trends report found that, in 2023, restaurants within a 4km radius of a Taylor Swift concert venue saw a 68% increase in spend when compared with normal trading days.
Trends identified in The African Hospitality Confidence Index for 2024 indicated that African countries should be pursuing events-based travel. Demonstrating this value, in 2023, the City of Cape Town hosted a total of 1 200 events contributing R4 billion to the economy. These included major sporting events such as the Netball World Cup and Formula E racing.
