Singapore credits mega gigs for record tourism

Concerts from the likes of Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran helped drive tourism in Singapore to record heights last year.

Singapore’s tourism spending in 2024 is projected to surpass $29 billion, breaking the pre-pandemic record of $27.7bn in 2019, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

The spend category with the biggest year-on-year growth was Sightseeing, Entertainment and Gaming, up 25% compared to 2023.

International visitor arrivals also increased by 21% year-on-year to reach 16.5 million, with the STB crediting the island’s country’s “year-round calendar of lifestyle events and concerts”.

Concerts by Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift “generated substantial economic benefits and enhanced Singapore’s global brand, with spillover effects to adjacent tourism industries such as retail, dining and hotels.”

Indeed, 2024 was a standout year for live music in Singapore, with rafts of major artists performing to sold-out crowds.

Singapore’s tourism spending in 2024 is projected to surpass $29 billion

Coldplay broke Singapore’s record for the most tickets sold by an artist in a single day (200,000) for their six-night stand at the National Stadium in January 2024. Shows for Bruno Mars, Olivia Rodrigo, Imagine Dragons and viral sensation Laufey were also snapped up in record time.

Ed Sheeran also delivered a concert at the National Stadium, followed by an intimate concert at the 1,000-cap Capitol Theatre. But it was Swift’s six sold-out shows at the 55,000-capacity venue that garnered the most attention for the island nation.

Singapore’s government drew criticism from neighbouring countries over a reported exclusivity deal with promoter AEG to make Singapore Swift’s only stop in the region.

However, tourism experts said Singapore’s success benefits the entire region, rather than detracting from it.

“The media buzz and the publicity surrounding Singapore’s apparent hijacking of her shows have woken up these countries to the rewards available in this market segment (high-end concerts) and their respective infrastructural or organisational shortfalls,” said Christopher Khoo, managing director of MasterConsult Services, a Singapore-based tourism consultancy company.

In fact, the exclusivity deal has prompted South East Asian nations such as the Philippines to step up, announcing plans to build a ‘Taylor Swift-ready’ stadium by 2028.

STB expects 2025 international visitor arrivals to reach between 17.0 to 18.5 million, bringing in approximately $29.0 to $30.5 bn in tourism receipts.

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