Mega-tours aren’t just about bright lights and loud music — they’re bursts of energy that can shake up a city’s economy. When global superstars like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and the Weeknd come to town, ticket sales are only a small fraction of the revenue created.
Fans from across the globe fly into the city, booking hotels, going to restaurants, using Uber or public transportation, buying merchandise, etc. This high level of concentrated spending creates temporary jobs and drives consumers to spend money.
This impact became synonymous with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour; imagine stadiums that are completely booked, hotel occupancy, and restaurant reservations for days. This is the effect of what the media has named ‘’Swiftonomics’’ which is the effect of when Taylor Swift comes to town. The leading cause of these economic booms is the influx of people. For example, the New Orleans Downtown Development District believed that 80-90% of concertgoers were visitors and that they drove in over $ 200 million into the city. On an international scale, airlines like United received a 25% spike in demand. Wherever Taylor goes, the people will follow.
Now, what happens when an artist has a residency, which is when an artist stays in the same city and or venue for an extended period. In the case of Bad Bunny and his residency in his home country of Puerto Rico, titled “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí” (I Don’t Want To Leave Here), it causes over 600,000 people to come visit the island to see him. It is expected to generate over $200 million during his one-month stay.
Bad Bunny and the revenue he is bringing to the country will bump up Puerto Rico’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by 0.15%—a remarkable feat for one man. Here’s what makes Bad Bunny special, though: not only were the first nine days of his stay only for people on the island, but tickets were bundled with locally owned hotel rooms in the hope of driving visitors away from renting foreign-owned Airbnbs.
Finally, there’s Abel Tesfaye (the Weeknd) and his After Hours til Dawn Tour, which marks an end to his persona, the Weeknd. Back in 2023, during the South America stretch of the tour, in the city of Bogatá. His one-night concert alone created around 1,500 jobs and generated eight hundred million pesos (around 19 million when converted to the American dollar). For his upcoming Miami concerts on August 15th and 16th, he is projected to generate over $35 million in revenue for the local economy.
Beyond the music and the crowds, these tours create a wave of potential that, even for a brief time, powers communities, local companies, and jobs.
