Fans throughout Southeast Asia were left feeling disappointed when it was announced last year that Singapore would be the exclusive stop for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in the region. Now, as crowds flock to Singapore for the pop star’s six highly-anticipated shows starting this weekend, rumors of tension are swirling among neighboring government officials. Allegations have emerged suggesting that Singaporean authorities may have orchestrated a special agreement to keep TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year in their city. Reports from local media indicate that Philippine lawmaker Joey Salceda has urged the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs to seek clarification from their Singaporean counterparts regarding the situation.
Salceda expressed his concern, stating that if the information is accurate, it does not align with the behavior expected from good neighbors. He highlighted that while Singapore benefited greatly from the grant in terms of economic growth, it came at the cost of neighboring countries that were unable to attract international concert attendees, forcing their fans to travel to Singapore instead. He further emphasized that such actions go against the spirit of unity and cooperation that the ASEAN was built upon, a group dedicated to fostering consensus-based relationships and solidarity within the Southeast Asian region.
The idea of a special agreement between Singapore and singer Taylor Swift first surfaced when Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin mentioned it at a business forum in Bangkok. According to Thavisin, concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) had allegedly shared that the Singapore government had offered a significant amount, up to $3 million per show, to Swift’s team. This was in return for Swift committing to only perform in Singapore and not in any other Southeast Asian countries during her Eras Tour.
AEG did not provide a response when TIME reached out for comment. However, Singapore’s tourism and youth authorities acknowledged in a joint statement to TIME that they had supported the event through a grant, but did not disclose the amount or any specific limitations. During a forum, Srettha expressed regret over not being aware of this support, stating that he would have chosen to bring the shows to Thailand instead. He praised the Singapore government for being “smart” in allegedly arranging an exclusive deal with the event organizers.
It’s no surprise that governments are eager to have Taylor Swift perform in their stadiums. The Grammy-winning singer has a reputation for giving local economies a boost wherever she goes. With over 300,000 tickets already sold for Swift’s upcoming shows in Singapore, the city-state is experiencing a surge in economic activity. Tourists flocking to see Swift perform have driven up hotel and flight prices by as much as 30%. Experts predict that Swift’s concerts could bring in as much as $500 million in tourism revenue, solidifying Singapore’s reputation as a major events hub. The youth ministry, in a statement to TIME, acknowledged the high demand from both Singaporeans and fans across the region for Swift to perform in Singapore, and worked closely with AEG Presents to make it happen.
Some people are criticizing Singapore’s actions, but others are viewing it as a chance to follow their lead. The tourism minister of Indonesia recently mentioned to Bloomberg that they are aiming for a similar success in their tourism industry by implementing “Swiftonomics”. They are introducing new policies to attract more tourists, such as providing a seed fund of 2 trillion rupiah annually (equal to approximately $127 million) to support various music, sports, and cultural events.
Just last week, Hong Kong’s leader John Lee was asked about the possibility of offering similar incentives to attract pop concerts in order to boost the city’s economy after the pandemic. He mentioned that Hong Kong faces tough competition from other cities working to enhance their offerings, and they must work tirelessly to bring in major events such as sports matches and cultural events. Hong Kong recently allocated around $2 million in grants to bring TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year Lionel Messi and Inter Miami to the city for a friendly match. However, the event turned into a public relations fiasco.
