The end of an era: How Taylor Swift boosted the US economy

The consumer spending power was part of the “Taylor Swift Effect,” which travel industry analysts described as a “hospitality phenomenon.”

The concert tour that made Taylor Swift a billionaire wraps up this weekend, but it has already left a lasting impact on the global economy. The pop superstar, whose final performance of “The Eras Tour” takes place Sunday night at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, emerged as a business titan after 152 concerts in 52 countries. Eras became the highest-grossing tour of all time with an estimated windfall of $2.2 billion. In the United States, concertgoers spent about as much as football fans spend for the Super Bowl — an average $1,300 on travel, hotels, food and merchandise, according to the US Travel Association. But the Super Bowl is just one game and has two weeks of marketing and promotion, while Swift’s tour hit 23 cities on 62 nights over the course of about five months. Swifties spent an estimated $5 billion in the United States, according to an estimate by survey company Question Pro. But that total only takes into account direct spending, according to the US Travel Association, and could exceed $10 billion when factoring in indirect spending and when non-ticket holders make purchases outside of the venue. That spending power was a part of the “Taylor Swift Effect,” which travel industry analysts deemed a “hospitality phenomenon.” Downtown areas experienced higher traffic and occupancy rates due to the influx of visitors. Swift fans often extended their stays in cities that hosted multiple shows, which further boosted local revenue.