With Coldplay scheduled to perform at Singapore’s National Stadium from January 23 to January 27, 2024, and Taylor Swift set to have six shows from March 2 to 4 as well as 7 to 9, 2024 fans are eagerly seeking tickets.
The popularity of Taylor Swift and Coldplay concerts are attracting travelers to Singapore. However, limited availability has sparked disappointment among locals, who believe the concerts should prioritize Singaporeans.
POPULARITY OF TAYLOR SWIFT AND COLDPLAY CONCERTS ATTRACTS TRAVELERS TO SINGAPORE
The concerts of both Coldplay and Taylor Swift are drawing in foreign visitors from the Southeast Asia region to Singapore. Coldplay has scheduled shows at Singapore’s National Stadium from January 23 to January 27, 2024.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift will be performing six shows from March 2 to 4 and March 7 to 9, 2024 at the National Stadium, situated in Singapore’s central Kallang area. With a maximum capacity of 55,000, there are abundant opportunities to catch her performance during her only stop in Southeast Asia.
However, due to limited availability, many individuals have expressed their disappointment at having to compete with foreign fans for tickets. Some argue that the concert should primarily cater to Singaporeans since it is being held in Singapore.
RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGNERS
Associate Professor Terence Ho, a practitioner at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, highlights the significant benefits that foreign demand for concert tickets brings to Singapore’s tourism industry. Hotels, food and beverage outlets, and other attractions all reap the rewards. Professor Ho emphasizes that implementing restrictions on foreign tickets could damage Singapore’s reputation as an events hub and reduce its appeal to top performers in the future.
PURCHASING TICKETS FOR TAYLOR SWIFT’S ERAS TOUR IN SINGAPORE
Ticketmaster Singapore sells tickets on a first-come, first-served basis until inventory lasts. Like other platforms, you will receive a one-time password (OTP) on your phone for verification. However, a Singapore SIM card is not required.
Interestingly, fans of Taylor Swift are rushing to sign up for UOB credit and debit cards following the announcement that pre-sale tickets for her 2024 show will exclusively be available to UOB cardholders. Within just 30 minutes of the concert promoter’s announcement, a Telegram channel was created to guide fans on obtaining these cards. Some fans even plan to visit bank branches to expedite the card application process.
Ms. Jacquelyn Tan, the head of group personal financial services at UOB, acknowledges the tremendous interest in Taylor Swift’s upcoming concert, given her international stature and the fact that Singapore is her only stop in Southeast Asia for the Eras Tour. UOB cardholders in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam will enjoy privileged access to the pre-sale and reserved ticket allotment during general sales. Pre-sale tickets for UOB cardholders will be available from July 5, with general sales on Ticketmaster commencing on July 7.
In contrast, fans have already purchased over 300,000 tickets for Coldplay’s concerts. Coldplay plans to release a limited number of cheaper “Infinity Tickets” at a later date, priced at approximately $20 each. These tickets will only be sold in pairs, with a maximum of two tickets per buyer.
TICKET RESELLING
Some individuals who managed to secure Coldplay tickets have resorted to reselling them on platforms such as Carousell and Viagogo. On Carousell, a seller is demanding $10,000 for an ultimate Music Of The Spheres World Tour experience ticket, which originally retailed for $1,098 on Ticketmaster. The seller mentioned receiving three offers within 15 hours, with the highest offer reaching $9,000. However, the seller will not sell the ticket until someone meets the asking price. More than 600 sellers have listed Coldplay concert tickets at prices twice or more than the original cost.
In Malaysia, scalpers demanded RM43,000 (S$12,600) for Coldplay concert tickets in Kuala Lumpur, while the original prices ranged from RM228 to RM3,088. It’s important to note that scalping activities, where tickets are purchased at retail prices and resold at significantly higher prices, are not illegal in Singapore.
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Nonetheless, the police have warned against the risks of purchasing illegitimate or non-existent tickets. Concert ticket scams have resulted in music fans losing approximately $170,000 as of March 2023.
Thus, UOB emphasizes that tickets purchased by their cardholders are strictly for personal use and should not be resold.