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 two major European cities to get a closer look at the impact.

Key takeaways

• Foot traffic in Paris for Food & Dining, Retail, and Travel POIs increased by 22.39% during the Taylor Swift concert period.
• Among 5 Parisian bakery chains, Paul had a 54% uplift in foot traffic. 
• 31.40% of hotel foot traffic went to Citadines Apart'hotel.

• Foot traffic in Madrid for Food & Dining, Retail, and Travel POIs increased by 41.25% during the Taylor Swift concert period.
• Marketing campaigns related to Taylor Swift saw in-store foot traffic soar for Sephora in Madrid. Sephora pulled 40.36% of visitors.
• Between Swarovski, Tous, Pandora, Parfois, and Agatha Paris, 25.00% of foot traffic visits went to Swarovski. 

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 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?

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 12.00% 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 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.

Measuring the impact of tourism with foot traffic data

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour significantly boosted economic activity and foot traffic in Paris and Madrid. Data from these cities reveal substantial increases in visits to Food and Dining, Retail, and Travel POIs during her concert dates.

Strategies such as placing bakeries near transport hubs, launching digital marketing campaigns, and ensuring proximity to venues have proven beneficial. These insights highlight the impact of major events on local economies and 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 make economic waves. For a deeper analysis, including detailed data on Lisbon and Stockholm, check out our comprehensive white paper. This document expands on the topics discussed here, providing further insights into behaviors, preferences, and strategies.

Question…? Looking for a data partner?

Want to see how location data can help support your company objectives and help make better decisions? Get in touch with our team to learn more about our non-PII and GDPR-compliant data, and how it can give you the best intelligence.