25 May 2024 , 21:34
1234
0
Taylor Swift fans needing a place to stay after the megastar’s gigs could be in for a Cruel Summer as prices are soaring by up to 223%.
Those with rooms for concertgoers are making a Swift buck as we found prices for stays could rise by as much as £500 per night in some parts of the country when her record-breaking Eras Tour is taking place. Researchers looked at Airbnb prices for the week before and the week Taylor is in town, to find the average costs to stay for two people for one night. And the biggest hike was when Taylor, 34, is performing at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium over the weekend of June 7-9.
Then, Airbnbs cost an average of £769 per night – but the weekend before it is £237.88, making it a 223% increase during the weekend of her gigs. Taylor then heads to Liverpool’s Anfield, performing on June 13, 14 and 15. For the same dates the week before, Airbnb rentals cost on average £99.64 a night but they rise to £202.59 the dates of the gigs – more than double.
Taylor Swift's UK leg of her world tour starts on June 7 2024 (AFP via Getty Images)Her next show is in Cardiff, with Welsh fans seeing the least damage to their wallets. Taylor is doing one night at the Principality Stadium, on June 18. That night, it is £185.07 for a stay compared with £156.44 the Tuesday before – an 18% increase. For London, Alt Index looked at Travelodge hotels within three miles of Wembley Stadium. The average cost for a one-night stay when she plays on June 21, 22 and 23 is £222.60. But the same time period the week before is £109.93, making this a 102% increase.
When Taylor is playing on August 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20, the average cost for a one-night stay at a nearby Travelodge is £167.96. For the same time the week before it is £88, making stays over the tour dates 91% more. Consumer expert Scott Dixon, of The Complaints Resolver, said: “This is blatant profiteering and extortion which simply cannot be justified. No hotel or Airbnb can justify charging nearly £800 for one night.
Taylor Swift's next studio album revealed after tenth release broke records
“This highlights why consumers ought to plan ahead and factor in these costs, and consider different locations when buying tickets for events.”
The Eras Tour is set to provide a £997million boost to the UK economy, according to Barclays. Fans will spend an average of £848 on tickets, accommodation, travel, merchandise, new outfits and food and drink. Almost 1.2 million Swifties will catch her live shows when she visits the UK this summer for her 15 performances. Taylor recently became the first artist to achieve billionaire status solely through her music, while the Eras Tour, which started on March 17, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona, is the highest grossing of all time – breaking the $1billion barrier last December.
An Airbnb spokesman said: “These prices are for unbooked accommodation and do not reflect the average price offered on Airbnb during Taylor Swift’s tour in the UK. “The average price for booked accommodation on Airbnb in Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh for the concert dates is around £233 per night.
“The typical host in the UK shares their home for an average of three nights a month giving locals an opportunity to earn much-needed additional income at a time when accommodation is in high demand.”
Travelodge said: “At Travelodge, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with a well-priced, well-located stay they can trust. We encourage people to book directly via our website as early as they can and where they can to choose the rate that is right for them. This includes our Flexible Rate Booking, which is refundable before midday on the day of arrival, allowing customers to book in advance and rest assured they can cancel their stay if plans change nearer to the time.”