Are you ready to dazzle your Taylor Swift fans with a fantastic experience at your hotel? As we approach her much-expected concerts in Australia and Singapore, hotels must prepare for the surge in demand, deliver exceptional customer service, and prioritize guest satisfaction.
Everything Taylor Swift touches turns to gold. In 2023, her tour stopped in 20 North American cities that broke records and was even said to boost the economy by $4.6 billion. Fans flocked to these cities in droves, which positively impacted the local economies. Naturally, Swifties must eat, utilize transportation, and of course, book accommodations. It’s no wonder that her concerts are creating a hospitality phenomenon. In Chicago, hoteliers experienced the “TSwift Lift” firsthand, as the first two days of Swift’s shows resulted in record hotel bookings for the city, an average of 44,383 per night. The TSwift Lift is real and hoteliers quickly realized they’d be in trouble if they weren’t well prepared for a fully booked property. Let’s discuss some ways to prepare and avoid bad blood with the Swifties as they descend upon APAC in the coming weeks.
According to a recent article on STR’s Data Insights Blog, Taylor Swift’s impact on hotel room revenue in the US is remarkable. The article highlights that her tour has already contributed to a staggering $208 million in hotel room revenue. By drawing in thousands of fans to each tour stop, Taylor Swift’s presence creates a surge in demand for hotel accommodations, resulting in increased revenue for hotels in those destinations. Pittsburgh and Nashville doubled their RevPAR from shoulder weeks, while eight markets overall reported RevPAR premiums of 50 percent or higher. It was anything but a cruel summer for the cities on the tour lineup.
How Hotels Can Capitalize on the Positive Impact of Taylor Swift’s Tours?
Hoteliers know all too well how important it is to provide the best guest experience. Guests are more likely to leave a review when they have an experience to remember – both positive or negative. This means that hotels need to be prepared to handle the influx of fans and provide exceptional customer service to ensure a positive experience for concert-goers. Many hotels impressed guests by going above and beyond by offering pop-up shops with Taylor Swift merchandise, specialty menu items at on-site restaurants, or decorating with a Swift theme throughout the hotel. From check-in to concierge services, hotel staff must be attentive, efficient, and accommodating to meet the heightened expectations of Taylor Swift’s enthusiastic fans.
In the era of online reviews and social media, guest reviews hold major importance for hotels. This is a delicate topic because we all know that guest reviews hold a lot of weight during the booking process. And how do you get your guests to leave a review? The answer isn’t as tough as you think – just ask for it. In a recent study, guests were asked why they didn’t leave a review and the answer was surprising – they didn’t know where to leave it or were never sent a survey. TrustYou has an easy solution! Prepare and send out a post-stay survey to your guests. Positive guest reviews can boost a hotel’s reputation and attract more visitors in the future. Conversely, negative reviews can have long-lasting consequences. Too busy to respond to all of those reviews? Shake it off with TrustYou’s responseAI, which allows you to quickly respond to guest reviews in the tone and language that fits your brand. You’ll thank us later.
Taylor Swift’s tours have proven to be a force that extends beyond the music industry, leaving a lasting impact on the hospitality and hotel industry. With her Eras Tour breaking records and generating significant revenue for hotels, the influence of her tours cannot be underestimated. By focusing on revenue growth, customer service, and the importance of guest reviews, hotels can leverage the “Taylor Swift Effect” to their advantage.
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