The power of Taylor Swift and Coldplay to attract huge audiences to their live concerts is music to the ears of the tourism industry.

Post-pandemic, major international artists have been free to tour the world again with their live concerts proving to be a major driver of economic growth for hospitality and transport suppliers.

Travel intelligence company ForwardKeys says, “In 2023, we witness a significant trend in the concert industry as more international artists prefer specific South-east Asian countries for their tours, with Singapore standing out as a prominent destination.”

ForwardKeys analysis shows that during Coldplay’s concert period in 2024, there is an astonishing 241% increase in travel from neighbouring South-east Asian countries to Singapore, “which is way higher than the overall 19% increase seen in January”.

“Furthermore, for Taylor Swift’s concert in March, the latest data shows a whopping 380% increase in travel, compared to the overall Q1 outlook of 37%.”

ForwardKeys says music tourism is becoming increasingly popular, with fans travelling across borders to attend concerts and festivals. Concert travellers are mainly individuals or couples, with an average length of stay of three days.

“Singapore is a prime example of a destination that has benefited from hosting such events, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, regional connectivity, stable governance, and strong security measures.

“As a result, the country has seen a boost in tourist arrivals, something other Asian destinations should consider in their tourism strategy for 2024 and beyond,” ForwardKeys said.

Americas lead the way in outbound travel recovery

ForwardKeys’ latest air ticketing data shows that in the first three quarters of this year, Asia Pacific destinations show a travel recovery more than 50% of their pre-pandemic international arrival volumes (45% down on 2019) while on-the-book tickets for arrivals during the fourth quarter are showing a marked improvement, currently tracking just 25% below the same moment in 2019.

The Asia Pacific region is recovering the fastest but the Middle East is already on track to exceed 2019 levels during the fourth quarter, and the Americas are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels.

“It’s worth noting that the total international outbound travel has been following a similar trend. The Americas are leading the way in terms of outbound travel recovery thanks to the strength of the US dollar and a significant increase in flight capacity,” ForwardKeys noted.

“Meanwhile, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea are showing promising signs of recovery in North-east Asia. Japan and South Korea’s resurgence is primarily due to travel between these two nations and arrivals from long-haul markets like North America and Western Europe. Hong Kong is drawing in a larger number of tourists from within Asia, especially from Southeast Asia.”