Major events fill the 2024 spring and summer period across Europe, ranging from the UEFA European Championship in Germany to the upcoming Olympics in Paris. Among the excitement is the European leg of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Her record-shattering shows will grace 18 cities across Europe, selling out every venue. But Taylor's music does more than sell shows: It draws people from all over the world to wherever she goes, boosting tourism and economic activity. We've delved into the foot traffic data from four major European cities to get a closer look at the impact.
Foot Traffic In Paris (Taylor's Version)
The City of Light is no stranger to tourism. When Taylor came to town, it was a holiday weekend in the country. Despite the existing high level of tourism, foot traffic before and during the concert increased by 22.39% for Food & Dining, Retail, and Travel points of interest (POIs).
We've analyzed the foot traffic distribution to find out where people spent time between these points of interest.
One particular Food & Dining POI category that we focused on was bakeries. The “boulangerie” is a staple of French culture that no Taylor Swift fan can ignore. We chose five bakery chains - Paul, Brioche Dorée, Eric Kayser, Ladurée, and La Croissanterie - and explored their foot traffic.
Among the visitors who went to these chains, 54.00% went to Paul. With over 424 bakery locations across France, Paul's accessibility is hard to match. Site selection seems to be the strongest indicator of this. Compared to competitors, Paul bakeries are closest to public transport. Swifties traveling by train to Gare du Nord, Gare Saint Lazare, or Gare de l'Est will find at least two Paul bakeries on site. This information is useful for these bakeries to know the value of location. The next Brioche Dorée, Eric Kayser, Ladurée, or La Croissanterie should set up shop near a Paul.
On top of that, Taylor is a big fan of baking, from cinnamon rolls to pumpkin loaves. Re-creating some of her favorite baked goods will have fans queuing the length of the Seine. It's something to keep in mind next time she's inevitably around.
Where are Swifties staying in Paris?
We ran a similar analysis for popular Parisian hotel chains, including Citadines Apart'hotel, Best Western, Kyriad, Timhotel, and Ibis. Between them, Citadines had the majority of foot traffic with 31.40%. This didn't surprise us at face value. One of their locations is near Paris La Défense Arena, where Taylor Swift performed.
One main insight we uncovered is that concert-goers opt for proximity to the venue. The Eras Tour's fans are known to wait in line for hours, days, and (apparently) months for the show. Being close to the venue means they'll have a better chance of being at the front of the line. While Ibis hotels boasted three locations in the venue area, they received 12% of the foot traffic of other hotels analyzed.
Another main insight is fans’ penchant for "serviced hotels", also known as hotel apartments. Hotel apartments, like the Citadines Apart’hotels, offer alternative advantages to the standard hotel. They come standard with a kitchen, living space, and general home utilities. Fans may have favored Citadines because they wanted to stay in Paris longer or travel in larger groups. Typically, this kind of hotel is more affordable than a hotel with full service.
Based on this insight, Citadines Apart'hotel could consider a special offer for visiting Swifties: "Don't make a Taylor Swift concert just a weekend experience, stay a week in Paris for a discounted price!" The website venue offers special deals for a variety of hotels, including Ibis, so apartment hotels could make their presence more known. It’s clear that the market is looking for it.
Foot Traffic In Lisbon, What Else?
A similar story unfolded in Lisbon, minus the national holiday weekend. Foot traffic before and during the concert increased by 32.99% for Food & Dining, Retail, and Travel POIs.
Like many capital cities, Lisbon isn't short of good places for a drink, and coffee stands out. But where did Swifties prefer to go get their caffeine? To answer that, we analyzed three popular coffee chains in Lisbon: Starbucks, Nespresso, and Segafredo.
George Clooney will be happy to know that 48.51% of foot traffic among these POIs went to Nespresso. Now, there had to be a reason for such a landslide difference. The answer could be the type of coffee Nespresso had on offer during this period.
Beginning in April, Nespresso released a new capsule, the Nespresso WE Lisbon Bica. It's the company's take on the traditional Portuguese café. This limited edition coffee was available for taste and purchase in Nespresso boutiques around Lisbon. A new Portuguese-inspired Nespresso flavor in the capital? This was sure to attract tourists and Lisboetas alike. That included coffee-loving Swifties who wanted a taste of Portuguese culture.
What does the data show here? That localization isn't just suited for the domestic population; tourists love it too. Run marketing campaigns that advertise locally inspired products during high-tourism waves. That's how you stay ahead of the competition.
Foot Traffic In Madrid, Champagne Problems
In Madrid, Taylor Swift performed at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid that seats over 80,000 fans. Among the four cities we analyzed, this was the largest venue. Madrid also had the highest increase in foot traffic - by 41.25% - for Food & Dining, Retail, and Travel POIs.
Among retailers, who were the big winners?
Let's start with Beauty and Personal Care stores. We measured the foot traffic distribution between Sephora, Druni, The Body Shop, Yves Rocher, and Douglas. Sephora pulled 40.36% of visitors, strongly reflecting the company's push to promote Taylor Swift's favored products. In April, the Sephora Savings Event advertised Taylor's Eras Tour's go-to beauty products, including her favorite eyeliner, lipstick, foundation, and eyeshadow all on discount. When the Eras Tour came to Madrid in May, Swifties knew where they could find their Eras beauty products.
The uptick in in-store traffic in Madrid in May demonstrates the Eras Tour's impact on brick-and-mortar performances. Her adoring fans know what she wears, and where to buy it. Sephora’s campaign around Taylor Fever no doubt made an impact.
Swarovski was another brand that felt the wind of Taylor Swift tourism. Between Swarovski, Tous, Pandora, Parfois, and Agatha Paris, 25.00% of foot traffic visits went to Swarovski. Plenty of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour outfits included Swarovski jewels. The diehard Swifties know this and surely had an impact on why Swarovski store visits went up. The distribution of traffic among these jewelry stores also indicates high demand for these products in general. Jewelry brands can use this data to create campaigns around the concert, maximizing their chances for a boost in in-store traffic.
Foot Traffic in Stockholm, (Scandic) Red
Stockholm had an increase of total foot traffic by 40.52% for Food & Dining, Retail, and Travel points of interest, The second-highest boost after Madrid. The concert took place north of the city, near Solna station. A glance at the map of the city would tell you the train is the go-to mode of transport for this event.
Foot traffic data for hotel visits supports this hypothesis. The graph below shows the spread of tourist visits across the top five hotels in Stockholm.
Scandic stands out with 41.00% of the traffic. Near Stockholm City station, there are six different Scandic hotels. It's an 18-minute journey from this station to the venue via train. Having multiple sites in the vicinity of public transport is a major reason foot traffic at Scandic hotels was high. The data shows that Swifties preferred to be close to the city center rather than the venue, which was possible thanks to a direct public transport line and nearby Scandic hotels.
How could competing hotel chains replicate the same success? The answer is location data. Footfall location data lets you analyze foot traffic, demographics, and competitor presence to evaluate the potential of a site. It helps you find where your target audience is. It shows their target audience’s likely interests and brand preferences, using real-world mobility data. Confident site selection is only possible by understanding the world around you with location data.
It's also worth noting that FORENOM, another chain of hotel apartments like Citadines in Paris, had the second-highest amount of foot traffic visits. This variation of short-term accommodation is a clear preference for concert-goers, giving even more reason to contact the venue and create special promotions for Swifties and future concert attendees alike.
Measuring the Impact of Tourism with Foot Traffic Data
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour significantly boosted economic activity and foot traffic across Europe. The data from Paris, Lisbon, Madrid, and Stockholm reveals substantial increases in visits to food, dining, retail, and travel points of interest during her concerts.
Strategic site selection near transport hubs, localized product offerings, relevant marketing and promotions, and proximity to venues or transportation proved to be beneficial. These insights show the impact of major events on local economies. They offer valuable strategies for businesses to maximize gains from tourism and events.
The Eras Tour is well underway in its European leg. And we know all too well it's going to continue to sell out stadiums, boost tourism, and make economic waves.
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