Bad blood unlikely, but Singapore’s Taylor Swift deal set to accelerate neighbours’ tourism plans

Singapore’s six-show deal with Swift has ruffled feathers in the region, but ties between Asean neighbours are ‘resilient’ enough to shake off the unhappiness, analysts say

From Indonesia to Thailand, politicians have pledged a range of measures to lure ‘world-class acts’ to boost their own tourism as Singapore reaps the benefits of ‘Swiftonomics’

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Taylor Swift performs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 16. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:10pm, 29 Feb 2024Updated: 1:21am, 1 Mar 2024

Singapore’s concert deal with US superstar Taylor Swift has stirred up some envy among its Asean neighbours, and the uproar over a supposed exclusivity clause may prompt the republic to be more “sensitive” in future dealings with international acts, observers have said.

A call by a Philippine lawmaker to probe the deal marked the latest in ruffled foreign feathers sparked by Singapore being the only concert stop on the singer’s Southeast Asia leg of her tour, with some politicians and fans in the region reading the move as a snub.

The city state is expected to bask in a multimillion-dollar windfall from Swift’s six shows starting this weekend, as businesses and travel operators cash in on the appearance of the 14-time Grammy winner during her Eras Tour.

Joey Salceda, a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, on Wednesday described Singapore’s move as “not what good neighbours do”, and prompted the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs to seek an explanation on the deal from the Singaporean embassy.

“Some [US$3 million] in grants were allegedly given by the Singapore government to [promoter AEG] to host the concert in Singapore,” Salceda said. “The catch was that they do not host it elsewhere in the region.”

His comments divided Filipino netizens, with some calling him “petty” while others defended him and argued that the supposed exclusivity clause had deprived the Philippines of a much-needed tourism boost.

Swifties take pictures next to an installation at the Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore on February 28. Photo: AFP

Just a week earlier, Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin first made the claim that Singapore paid Swift about US$2.8 million per show under an exclusivity deal.