VIDEO: Taylor Swift arrives in Spain with her concert 'The Eras Tour'
After 13 years without setting foot on Spanish soil, the American singer will perform two concerts this Wednesday and Thursday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid.
Thirteen years. That's how long it took singer Taylor Swift to return to Spain. The international artist is now back in Madrid for the European part of her "The Eras Tour." With two concerts scheduled in the Spanish capital, more than 140,000 fans will attend her concert this Wednesday and Thursday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
Swifties are taking over the Spanish capital. Since Saturday, fan zones were set up where the artist's followers could meet each other and exchange friendship bracelets while waiting for the concert to take place.
Fans started lining up two days ago (on Monday) and did so in the middle of Paseo de la Castellana. Several fans began to arrive hoping to be the first to get in and get as close as possible to Taylor Swift. Charlie and Emma are two of these "Swifties."
They had been waiting in line for about 14 hours and are the first in line. They arrived with their friends and since then they have been taking turns so as not to lose their precious place in line. "I got here this morning," Charlie confessed to Voz Media while Emma said that this was her second shift. Both paid 170 euros for the artist's tickets and got them a while ago: Emma in July of last year, Charlie in February of this year. They are both excited to see their idol in a few hours. "I'm very excited and happy. I really want to be able to get into the stadium and enjoy the concert," Charlie said.
American fans cross the pond to see Taylor Swift
They are not the only ones. Angela is another of the "Swifties" excited to see the singer perform in just a few hours. Unlike Charlie and Emma, it will be her second time seeing her. She lives in New York and already saw the Taylor Swift when she performed in the Big Apple. But Spain is special. "I love being able to travel and meet another community completely different from mine," Angela told Voz Media.
She is part of the 30% of foreigners who will attend the concerts this Wednesday and Thursday. This percentage has been economically beneficial for Spain. According to the newspaper El Mundo, the tour will bring between 15.6-19.4 million euros to the Spanish capital, which is the equivalent to each fan spending between 150 and 300 euros per night.
Hotels have been the first to notice the effect of what is now known as "Swiftonomics.” These hotels have experienced a 200-300% increase in their occupancy rates compared to any weekend this time of year. Most of them are booked close to 100%.
The restaurants, shops and transport services near the Bernabéu stadium are not far behind. For days these establishments have seen a constant flow of fans who, they claim, have significantly increased their sales. They are benefiting significantly from the economic impact that the artist is bringing to each of the cities on her tour.