SINGAPORE — After standing in line for 36 hours, Qayyum Lukman on Friday emerged triumphant from a kiosk where he had just scored tickets to see pop sensation Taylor Swift perform in Singapore, her only stop in Southeast Asia next year.
When Swift brings her acclaimed Eras Tour to Singapore next March, Mr. Lukman will be one of the 300,000 fans — called Swifties — in the audience for one of the six shows in the city state.
“I feel great, I’m stressed out, oh my God, I’m just overwhelmed! I don’t know what to think, indescribable, I’m very happy I got tickets! Yeah, woohoo!,” said Mr. Lukman.
But many Swifties across the region of more than half a billion, couldn’t get a ticket, partly as a result of a post-pandemic spike in demand for concerts and entertainment. The demand has led to rising prices that some economists have termed “Swiftflation.”
Holders of UOB bank credit cards were given preferred access, prompting a 45% surge in daily credit card applications in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam the week Swift announced her concert dates, according to media.
Indonesian Friski Riana, 31, joined virtual queues of millions of fans, even borrowing her friend’s credit card to try and get tickets.
“I waited for three hours but I failed to get a ticket,” Ms. Friski said.
Hours after the pre-sale closed, touts were marking up S$358 ($264.73) tickets to at least S$1,000 on marketplace app Carousell.
Last month, British band Coldplay saw similar “overwhelming demand” according to LiveNation Singapore, and added an extra three nights in Singapore despite playing a night each in Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila and Kuala Lumpur in the coming months.
Amid the ticket frenzy for Swift this week, Singapore’s central bank was even asked if concerts like hers would add to inflation woes, while the Business Times reported a spike in prices for flights and hotels the week “Taytay” performs on the island.
Showing his “Swiftie” credentials, Thailand’s leading candidate for prime minister (PM) Pita Limjareonrat asked the singer to swing by Bangkok, where she had canceled a performance in 2014 due to a coup.
“Do come and I’ll be singing ‘Lavender Haze’ with you!” Mr. Limjareonrat said on Twitter, referring to a track from an album released earlier this year.
KLOOK SOLD OUTTravel company Klook announced that its Klook Experience Packages for the Taylor Swift tour sold out. The packages included four- and five-star hotel stays and concert tickets.
“We expected immense demand but safe to say that was an understatement with more than 600,000 fans from across the region eagerly waiting in line and willing to spend more than SG$1,700 on our Klook Experience Packages. We are thankful for the patience and support from Swifties around the region and we can’t wait to help them discover and enjoy the most unforgettable experiences when they visit Singapore in March 2024,” said Sarah Wan, General Manager, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, Klook.
Fans from the Philippines made up the biggest contingent of customers, followed by fans from Singapore, Indonesia, China, and Malaysia. — Reuters
