But the Eras Tour wasn’t just a cultural moment – it was an economic force. Hotels were packed, restaurants saw crowds and tourism took off in every city the tour touched. One Minneapolis brewery even raked in double its normal revenue after hosting Eras-themed events, including karaoke, dance parties and trivia.
“This was bigger for us than when the Super Bowl came to town in 2018,” Emily Elmer, general manager of Inbound Brew Co. told The Washington Post.
As the friendship bracelets and glittery outfits fade into the background, the spotlight turns to where the money actually went.
While major entertainment companies and Swift’s own production team claimed the lion's share of revenue, one question remains: did small businesses truly get an economic boost?
The Eras effect
Throughout the tour, much has been said about Taylor Swift’s effect on local economies. Destination Toronto, for instance, estimated that her six sold-out shows in Toronto would bring $282 million into the local economy in 2024, with $152 million coming from spending on hotels, dining and other services.
Even for the shows held in 2023, The Washington Post reported that a survey by QuestionPro found concertgoers spent an average of $93 million per show total — not just on tickets, but on merchandise, travel, hotels, food and even carefully curated outfits.
As a result, $5.7 billion was generated in the U.S. alone because of that additional spending.
That spending extended to Susie Cakes in California where $50,000 worth of Swift-themed cupcakes were sold. And, according to the California Center for Jobs and the Economy, Swift’s shows had longer-term effects on the job market as a whole, including an estimated revenue increase capable of funding 3,300 new jobs in Los Angeles.
The true cost of hosting
There’s no denying that major events like the Eras Tour bring significant benefits to local economies. With the amount of ticketholders that travelled to see a certain Swift show, you could even compare the tour to something more grand like the Olympics. However, the economic impact of big events like these are often overstated when weighed against the cost of hosting.
