We know her as Miss Americana, but Taylor Swift has grown to represent so much more than just American culture. Swift’s Eras Tour, spanning from March 2023 to December 2024, showcased the tortured poet’s unprecedented global reach. Suddenly, the whole world was chanting “more” as reports of the economic and social benefits of the tour hit the mainstream news cycle.
The Eras Tour set out as a celebration of art, but it far exceeded that purpose. Whether you love her or hate her, you simply must acknowledge that the musical mastermind has reshaped the tourism industry as we know it.
New Money Suit and Tie
From the announcement of the first dates of the tour, global leaders were already fighting for Swift’s attention. From the president of Chile to the mayor of Budapest to the prime minister of Canada, politicians were positively fearless in their public support of the popstar. Their endgame? To access the wallets of Eras Tour-ists that would inevitably flock to each city.
These politicians knew the economic benefits of the Eras Tour all too well. In 2022—the year Taylor first announced her tour—she made over $100 million on Spotify streams alone. Those staggering numbers were more than enough proof that her visits would boost tourism in show locations. In fact, Time Magazine reported that fans of Taylor Swift—more commonly referred to as “Swifties”—traveled an average of 338 miles (544 kilometers) to sing along to each era in person.
Over the course of the 149 shows, the traveling Swifties needed someplace to stay. I had the privilege of attending Las Vegas Night 2 on the second weekend of this legendary tour. Booking a hotel in Vegas is already hard enough, but the volumes of Swifties flocking to reserve hotel rooms caused hotels to inflate prices during the duration of Swift’s stop in the city. I watched as fans, decked out in Taylor Swift merchandise, roamed the Las Vegas Strip, dined in restaurants, and shopped in every store you could find. Long story short, the Swifties’ wallets were wide open.
Between the costs of the ticket, outfits, accessories, transportation, lodging, food, and other tourist activities, this event was the perfect moneymaking machine for politicians, local business, hospitality chains, outfitters, and many others. Right on the heels of a pandemic, this economic stimulation was not only welcome but encouraged.
Politicians, fans, and everyone in between only have one more request of the popstar: Come back . . . be here. In an effort to encourage tourism and the popstar’s return, many cities pulled out all the stops. Glendale, AZ, briefly became “Swift City” for the duration of the opening weekend of the tour. Minneapolis, MN, US; Gelsenkirchen, Germany; and Toronto, Canada, all hopped on the bandwagon with “Swiftieapolis,” “Swiftkirchen,” and “Tayronto.” Wild decorations also covered the tour stops. Giant friendship bracelets spanned across stadiums in New Orleans and Toronto, and a coordinated light show assisted the announcement of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in Nashville.
You don’t exactly need to keep your eyes open to see that communities financially thrived under the spotlight that the Eras Tour placed on them. And that economic success was only the tip of the iceberg.
So Make the Friendship Bracelets
In the time of global unrest that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, Swift’s music served as an invisible string that brought cultures and communities back together. Friendship bracelets quickly became an icon of the tour as Swifties clung to a lyric from “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” which mentioned making friendship bracelets. The mission to trade friendship bracelets at the Eras tour—which was entirely led by fans—snowballed into what was perhaps the largest fan project in history.
These bracelets took on a whole new level of meaning when the tour dates in Vienna, Austria, were canceled due to threats of terrorism. In the face of such an alarming and devastating experience, fans chose to take to the streets of Vienna. There, they traded friendship bracelets and sang Swift’s songs. These fans found connection over a shared wish to live in a world where threats of violence didn’t have the power to take the joy out of life. Local businesses ran discounts for the Swifties and participated in the celebrations. Despite the dark undertones of the experience, participants found happiness connecting with other fans from all around the world.
The Eras Tour was so much more than a silly little concert tour. The global power of The Man herself created an experience that was simply unforgettable for the lives (and cities) it touched. The Eras Tour was the embodiment of hope when the world needed something good to hold onto.
So again, I return to the notion of Miss Americana. She is so much more than a representative of American culture. Her reach and influence extend far beyond the United States. Yet somehow, I can’t help but think that maybe—just maybe—the optimism of the Eras Tour is exactly what the United States of America was founded on. And maybe—just maybe—the success of the Eras Tour is a sign that we can embrace that optimism again.