Stockholm’s Chamber of Commerce estimates that hotel rooms, shopping, restaurant visits and souvenir sales to visiting “Swifties” will bring in just over SEK 471,900,000.
Sales also get an extra boost because the three concerts in Stockholm in May are the only ones Taylor Swift will do in the Nordics during her world tour.
– It is about money that is spent on hotel visits, restaurant visits, an SL ticket or perhaps a guided tour in the Old Town, says Carl Bergkvist, chief economist at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce to TV4 Nyheterna.
Fans from 132 countries to Stockholm
In total, around 150,000 people are expected to see Taylor Swift at Friends Arena between May 17 and 19.
– Four out of five of them travel to Stockholm and about half come from countries other than Sweden, says Carl Bergkvist.
According to calculations, “Swifties” from 132 countries will visit Stockholm that weekend. They have traveled here from the USA and Finland, but also from Australia.
– This is a big deal for Stockholm, it is positive for the hospitality industry and it makes the coffers of restaurants, hotels and other parts of the hospitality industry ring.
“A big impact for a short weekend”
Are there other artists who can achieve this effect?
– It certainly does, but this is one of the biggest concerts for quite some time in Stockholm. This is a big effect for a short weekend. But if we can get more weekends like this going forward, it will be very good for the hospitality industry.
According to Carl Bergkvist, however, Stockholm needs to get better at attracting tourists here on its own merits – and not just rely on world stars.
– We need a better range of restaurants, more lively street environments and, not least, better connections to and from Stockholm, he says.