SINGAPORE — If you are one of the many who is catching Taylor Swift’s concert in Singapore next month, it is partly because the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) provided a grant to help bring the pop superstar to the city-state’s shores.
The Strait Times (ST) reported STB and the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth (MCCY) saying in a joint statement on Tuesday (20 February) that tourism sectors such as hospitality, retail, travel and dining are likely to benefit from the event, just like how they have in other cities Swift has performed in.
Their statement came after Thailand prime minister Sretta Thavisin claimed last Friday that Singapore sought a deal that prevented Swift from playing elsewhere in Southeast Asia in her ongoing Eras Tour. The concert promoter AEG allegedly informed Sretta that the Singapore government offered subsidies of up to US$3 million (S$4 million) for each of her six concerts that will be taking place at the National Stadium.
“Singapore has much to offer as a destination for large-scale international events, with our strategic location, quality infrastructure, safety, efficiency and diverse cultural offerings,” STB and MCCY said in their statement.
“Tha Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM) will continue to actively bring a range of diverse lifestyle and entertainment offerings to the Sports Hub.”
Size of STB grant is unknown
CNA reported that no details were provided about the size of the government grant, nor the conditions that came with it. The statement added that MCCY and KASM had “worked directly” with AEG for Swift to perform in Singapore.
To date, more than 300,000 tickets for the six Singapore shows have been sold, with a “significant” number of fans travelling from other countries to catch the concert.
Swift will be performing at the National Stadium from 2 to 9 March. Singapore is one of only two stops in Asia for the Eras Tour, with the other being Tokyo. She is currently on the Australia leg of her tour.
When the tickets went on presale in Singapore, at least a million people joined the virtual queue on the Ticketmaster website in a bid to get tickets. As the pre-sale was made exclusive to UOB bank customers, the local bank saw a surge in card applications in Southeast Asia.
The demand for the tickets has also led to many being scammed as they sought the chance to see Swift in action.
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