CNN —
Singapore has attracted fans from all over Southeast Asia and abroad for Taylor Swift’s Elas Tour, much to the annoyance of the city-state’s neighbors.
Anger is not directed at the superstar, but at an exclusive deal the Singapore government has struck with concert organizers to make it the only venue for her to perform in Southeast Asia.
Swift brought a windfall to Singapore by having fans buy flights, accommodation and souvenirs in the city-state – as she does everywhere she goes.
But countries in the region have expressed displeasure after Philippine Rep. Joey Salceda said exclusive agreements are not “what a good neighbor would do.”
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong responded to the criticism on Tuesday, saying Singapore was not being “unfriendly” to its neighbors by signing the superstar.
“[Our] “The agency negotiated a deal with her to come to Singapore and perform, making Singapore her only destination in Southeast Asia,” Lee said at a press conference in Melbourne during his state visit to Australia.
“She was offered certain incentives and an agreement was reached. It turned out to be a very successful arrangement. I don’t think it was unkind.”
“If we hadn’t made that arrangement, would she have come to more places in Southeast Asia? Maybe not?” he added.
Singaporean authorities have previously acknowledged providing a grant to Swift, and the country’s culture minister, Edward Tong, has downplayed the size of the grant, saying on Monday, “That’s not accurate and it’s not as large as speculation.” ” he said.
Thai Prime Minister Sureta Thavisin said at a business forum in Bangkok on February 16 that Singapore paid Taylor Swift up to $3 million per performance for exclusive performances in the country. insisted.
Swift’s team has not commented on the controversy and has not responded to CNN’s requests for answers. Both Thailand and the Philippines have recently been wowing fans with major international music artists, including Coldplay.
The Eras Tour is a multi-continental extravaganza that has quickly become the highest-grossing event of all time, and Swift is bringing in huge profits for Singapore.
Maybank Economists estimate that Swift will perform six nights in Singapore to sold-out crowds of 300,000 fans, but 70% of her concert-goers in Singapore fly in from overseas, making it the city-state’s most popular venue. It is said to have cost up to $370 million.
Edmund Ong, general manager of Singapore travel platform Trip.com, said flights to Singapore soared 186% and room bookings nearly quintupled during Swift’s stay from March 1 to 9. It is said that it became.
Sara Wang, KLOOK’s general manager for Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, said mega events such as festivals, concerts and major sporting events bring immense economic benefits to tourists due to their high spending to supplement their travel. Said to bring.
“Our data shows that tourists who typically attend concerts and events are likely to spend five times more than the ticket face value. Based on average ticket prices, travelers are more likely to spend at local hotels You can expect to spend an additional $800 on , restaurants, experiences and more,” Wang added.
These large-scale global music events are a boon for Singapore’s travel-related services, with the potential to add up to 10% to GDP, HSBC’s ASEAN economist Yun Liu wrote in a recent note.
Fans from the Philippines, Thailand, China and other countries in the region spend thousands of dollars on concerts and airfare to see Swift perform, and even wear sequined dresses and themed costumes to complete the experience. I spent whatever I needed to.
For many Filipino fans, a trip to Singapore can be a big expense. According to the World Bank, the Philippines’ GDP per capita is approximately $3,500 per year. By comparison, Singapore is one of the richest places in the world, with its average citizen earning more than 23 times as much, with a GDP per capita of $83,000.
Filipino fan Charlyn Suizo is among those who are making expensive pilgrimages to see Swift, putting her heart and soul into the once-in-a-lifetime extravaganza.
“This is the most I’ve ever spent on a concert. I’ve never spent so much money like six figures (Philippine pesos) for anyone else, just Taylor Swift,” Suizo said. Ta.
Singapore’s currency is one of the strongest in Asia, so everything is relatively expensive for travelers from the region’s emerging markets.
Jillian Granada, 24, who traveled from the Philippines with three other friends, said it was expensive to go to Singapore for a concert, but it made sense to hold a concert in the city-state. .
“I don’t think there’s any venue big enough to accommodate her, her stage, her work and everything else. So I think that’s probably one of the reasons why we decided to hold it in Singapore, which is a great stadium.” said Granada.
Her friend Christel Kay Quan, 25, said they all spent about $2,000 on tickets and airfare for the trip, adding that it would have to be at least their first overseas trip as friends.
Based on the latest census data, this is about six times the national average monthly salary in the Philippines.
But it’s worth it “because I get to meet Taylor.”
