Indonesia keen to work with Singapore to stage big concerts after city state’s Taylor Swift success
- After seeing how Swift enchanted fans in six sold-out concerts, Indonesia has a long list of plans to attract A-list stars to its shores
- While there had been regional envy over Singapore’s exclusivity deal, Indonesia’s investment minister said it was just business and there was ‘nothing wrong’ with competition
Indonesian Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno recently visited the island republic and held talks with Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu to explore potential collaboration on hosting entertainment events involving A-list celebrities.
“Considering the recent Taylor Swift concert in Singapore, the Singaporean economy has seen a significant increase, as the concertgoers brought in five times more spending than the typical tourists,” Sandiaga said in a statement last week.
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Sandiaga said the government would set up a US$128 million Indonesia tourism fund aimed at supporting local organisers to stage world-class music shows.
“Our strategy is to provide special incentives for promoters or event organisers who will bring in international events to Indonesia,” he said.
The minister added the initiative, likely to be launched this year, would also support cultural and sporting spectacles.
Sandiaga pledged to cut red tape and overhaul the permit system to make the process “more transparent”.
“We believe with the digitalisation of concert permits, or this ‘single-door system’, promoters will not have any difficulties. It will cost less [for them] to apply for a permit,” he said.
Sandiaga’s ambition to inject a dose of “Swiftonomics” into Indonesia’s tourism sector has gathered pace after Singapore signed a deal with the singer to make the city state her only Southeast Asian stop.
The pop sensation performed six sold-out shows in the first week of March, reeling in Swifties and tourists from across the region.
Economists estimate the concerts would add around S$300 million (US$225 million) to S$400 million to Singapore’s GDP in the first quarter.
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Indonesian investment minister Luhut Pandjaitan said that was how competition worked and “there was nothing wrong with it”, The Jakarta Globe reported.
“Regarding Taylor Swift, we, Indonesia, are not smart. If we can book [the concert], we should have just done so. If we have to pay, then we do so,” Luhut said.
Meanwhile, Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce reminisced about the couple’s time in Singapore, saying he enjoyed two “amazing” shows of the Eras Tour.
“But outside of that, got to get some lovely Singapore food and catch the views,” he said on his “New Heights” podcast show that won the top prize at this year’s iHeartRadio Podcast Awards in the US.
