PERSONAL: Swifties make pricey pilgrimage to pop star's only Southeast Asian stop

Record ID: 1769630

  • Title: PERSONAL: Swifties make pricey pilgrimage to pop star's only Southeast Asian stop
  • Date: 2nd March 2024
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MARCH 1, 2024) (REUTERS) 29-YEAR-OLD SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES HEAD, CHARLYN SUIZO AND FRIEND, 25-YEAR-OLD BUSINESS OWNER AND TAYLOR SWIFT FAN MARY SALVACION, JUMPING WITH EXCITEMENT AT DEPARTURES GATE OF NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SUIZO’S LUGGAGE PIECE WITH PICTURES OF TAYLOR SWIFT AND TEXT READING (English): “TAYLOR SWIFT, THE ERAS TOUR. *CHARYLN*” SALVACION PACKING HER LUGGAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 30-YEAR-OLD SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES HEAD, CHARLYN SUIZO, SAYING: “It’s sad there is no Philippine stop even if there are so many Taylor Swift fans here in the Philippines. She’s always at the top of the charts, in Spotify, in Q.C.(Quezon City), she is always trending. Swifties Philippines even conducted events to show our platform and ask (Taylor Swift) to please come to the Philippines and bring the Era’s tour .” EXTERIOR OF DEPARTURES TERMINAL OF NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT VARIOUS OF SUIZO AND SALVACION PUSHING LUGGAGE CART SINGAPORE (MARCH 2, 2024) (REUTERS) POSTER FEATURING TAYLOR SWIFT READING (English): “TAYLOR SWIFT, THE ERAS TOUR” / PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL STADIUM BEFORE CONCERT PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL STADIUM BEFORE CONCERT VARIOUS OF SINGAPORE METRO STAFF WAVING CONES TO DIRECT PEOPLE ARRIVING AT STADIUM VIA SUBWAY VARIOUS OF SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES PUTTING ON BANANA COSTUMES BEFORE CONCERT (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 30-YEAR-OLD SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES HEAD, CHARLYN SUIZO, SAYING: “I’m so happy and very excited to see Taylor later on, and really, really overwhelmed with the amazing place and Swifties around me, and very excited for the experience.” VARIOUS OF SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES WALKING INTO CONCERT VENUE IN BANANA COSTUMES VARIOUS OF SUIZO TRADING FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS WITH OTHER SWIFTIES (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 30-YEAR-OLD SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES HEAD, CHARLYN SUIZO, SAYING: “I think at least for me, this is the biggest amount I have spent for a concert. I never really spent big like six-digit (peso) amounts for someone else, just Taylor Swift.” SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES POSING FOR PHOTOS OUTSIDE OF SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL STADIUM BANNER READING (English): “SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES, THE ERAS TOUR, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, SINGAPORE 2024” SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES HOLDING BANNER, DANCING AND SINGING (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 30-YEAR-OLD SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES HEAD, CHARLYN SUIZO, SAYING: “We really worked hard for it. Like, we contacted people, one of my friends even flew here in Singapore that time (when tickets were on sale) just to meet someone so we could remit the money, so we can buy. Because there’s also a line in Sing Post (to buy tickets) so someone also lined up for us if (we) ever (needed it). So that’s how hard we (worked). So we think we really deserve to go here because of all of the efforts we have made for preparations until now were really, really vast.” SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES WALKING TO ENTER CONCERT VENUE SUIZO’S HAND HOLDING HER CONCERT TICKET AS SHE WALKS PEOPLE WALKING UP STAIRS TO SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL STADIUM, SINGAPORE SKYLINE IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES QUEUING UP OUTSIDE OF STADIUM SECURITY CHECK FOR CONCERT SUIZO AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF SWIFTIES PHILIPPINES ENTERING SECURITY CHECK
  • Embargoed: 16th March 2024 14:11
  • Keywords: concert eras tour fans music philippines pop singapore song swifties taylor swift
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES / SINGAPORE
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES / SINGAPORE
  • Country: Singapore
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Music
  • Reuters ID: LVA001490102032024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Filipina Charlyn Suizo, 30, is in Singapore this week for one reason only: Taylor Swift.
    The software engineer and head of a Philippines Swifties group - as fans of the popstar are know - flew in from Manila on Friday (March 1) with 17 friends, spending at least $6,000 in total on her flights, concert tickets and accommodation. The average annual household income in the Philippines is 307,190 Philippines pesos ($5,482.85), according to official Philippines government statistics.
    "This is the biggest amount I have spent for a concert. I never really spent big like six-digit (Philippines peso) amounts for someone else, just Taylor Swift,” said Suizo, who bought one VIP ticket costing more than S$1,000 ($744). She plans to see three out of Swift’s six performances in Singapore and said she is using her savings to pay her expenses for this trip.
    Suizo, who has already seen other past Swift performances over the years and has been a fan since 2007, is among thousands of "Swifties" descending on Singapore this week from all over Southeast Asia to catch Swift's Eras Tour, giving the sluggish economy a much needed boost. The American superstar is playing six sold-out nights in Singapore from 2 to 9 March, with Singapore as her only stop in Southeast Asia.
    Maybank economist Chua Hak Bin estimates that seven in 10 of the 300,000 concertgoers will be coming in from overseas, spending to the tune of S$350 million ($260 million) to S$500 million ($372 million) on hotels, food and entertainment.
    Last month, the government said it had given Swift a grant for her to play in Singapore, but did not disclose the amount given. The announcement had Southeast Asia neighbours seeing red with the Thai prime minister saying Singapore's grant was on condition Swift only performs in Singapore, and a Filipino lawmaker saying it "isn't what good neighbours do". Singapore's government did not confirm the exclusivity clause.
    Singapore has seen a boom in concerts since pandemic lockdowns ended, with big names like Blackpink, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran playing sold-out shows.
    (Production: Joseph Campbell, Adrian Portugal)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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