Pinoy Swifties weren’t the only ones disappointed when Taylor Swift announced the Asian leg of her sought-after Eras Tour. It only has one stop in Southeast Asia — a total of six nights in Singapore. Neighboring countries like the Philippines and Thailand (both of which have already hosted several big-ticket artists) were left wondering how they fell short. There have been speculations about logistical challenges, but new reports reveal that Singapore might have secured an exclusive deal through a grant.

Singapore allegedly paid for exclusivity

According to The Straits Times, it took prodding from Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to learn about the details of the agreement. On February 16, Thavisin revealed that he was informed by concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) that the Singapore Government “offered subsidies of up to USD 3 million for each concert” in exchange for Swift performing exclusively in the country and nowhere else in Southeast Asia during The Eras Tour.

The statement also included how Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) emphasized the country’s appeal as a hub for international events of Swift’s caliber. “Singapore has much to offer as a destination for large-scale international events, with our strategic location, quality infrastructure, safety, efficiency and diverse cultural offerings,” it said.

Singapore government trusted that the staggering amount they paid for the songstress (around USD 18 million for six nights!) was worth the financial boost their tourism sector is poised to earn. (Our translation: Everything that Taylor touches turns to gold and Singapore figured it out.)

Over 300,000 tickets were sold for The Eras Tour in Singapore. Most of these sales are from Swifties flying in from other countries to see their favorite artist and, of course, to spend a few days exploring the country.

Thailand regrets not knowing about the deal

Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” is not coming to Thailand because Singapore has a deal that she cannot perform anywhere else in ASEAN, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

Srettha said he had spoken to the organizer of the concert, and they informed him about the deal.… pic.twitter.com/0KcqlH8jMt

— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) February 16, 2024

Before artists go on tour, concert promoters hold bidding wars for the rights to promote them in their respective countries. Thavisin noted that if the deal had been disclosed sooner, Thailand would’ve snagged the opportunity to propose a more cost-effective offer for Taylor’s team.

“If she came to Thailand, it would have been cheaper to organize it here, and I believe she would be able to attract more sponsors and tourists to Thailand. Even though we would have to subsidize at least 500 million baht, it would be worth it,” he said during the iBusiness Forum 2024 in Bangkok.

Taylor Swift is set to perform at Singapore’s National Stadium on March 2-4 and March 7-9. Pinoy Swifties, don’t worry. She might not be coming here but The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) is coming to Disney+ on March 15, so mark your calendars!

Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube, to be the first to know about the latest news and coolest trends!