Indonesia seeks to join Singapore to promote tourism with A-list stars

By Hoang Vu March 18, 2024 | 07:11 pm PT

Taylor Swift during her Eras Tour concert in Singapore on March 2, 2024. Photo by Panda Doan

Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said his country is willing to cooperate with Singapore to attract world-famous artists like Taylor Swift for big concerts that would help promote tourism.

Concertgoers to the recent Taylor Swift's shows in Singapore brought in five times more spending than the typical tourists, Sandiaga said during a recent visit to the city state, as quoted by Jakarta Post.

More than 368,000 people attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour six-night concerts in Singapore from March 2-9, with airfares and hotel room rates skyrocketing, The Straits Times reported, adding that Swift’s stop in Singapore resulted in 30% increase in demand for accommodation.

Sandiaga said the Indonesian government plans to set up a tourism fund worth US$128 million to support local organizers to conduct performances similar to the Taylor Swift event in Singapore.

He also pledged to improve infrastructure, permit issuance and human capital to enable A-list stars to organize concerts in Indonesia.

Indonesia welcomed 11.7 million foreign tourists last year and aims to draw 14 million this year.

Southeast Asia's largest economy plans to waive visas for visitors in more countries and simplify permits to make it easier for domestic event organizers to organize large-scale music events.