How Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is shaking up South Florida's hospitality scene

Mychal Milian is an adjunct professor of lodging operations at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the general manager at AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Airport, where he has been recognized with the Visit Lauderdale Rising Star Award and the prestigious Hotel Opening of the Year Award. In the classroom, Milian shapes future hospitality leaders through discussion and instruction around topics such as outstanding guest experience and operational excellence. This week, he and his students have another subject on their minds: Taylor Swift. Read on for Milian’s expert insights into the upcoming concert weekend.

South Florida is no stranger to big-name events, but when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour rolls into Hard Rock Stadium this week, the region will experience an economic shakeup powered by one woman.

The three-night spectacle isn’t just about music. It’s about tourism, luxury and the business of entertainment. The impact of Swift’s concert weekend is set to echo far beyond the stadium walls, creating a rush of demand that’s already jolting the hospitality landscape.

It’s not every day that a single artist can move markets, but Taylor Swift has achieved such status. On the first leg of her Eras Tour, hotel rates spiked an average of $53 per night in cities like Seattle, Nashville and Boston, with occupancy rising by 11% compared to baseline. South Florida is poised for similar surges. The Taylor Swift effect has already led to a projected average daily rate of over $200 for Miami, a first in October in more than a decade. Let’s face it, nothing quite stirs up the economy like the energy of nearly 200,000 Swiftees, not to mention the hundreds of media and setup-crew members that roll into town.

Tourism reigns supreme in South Florida, and Swift's arrival is expected to give the economy a significant boost. What economists have dubbed “funflation” explains the post-pandemic demand for live entertainment, and there’s no better example than Swift’s Eras Tour. The average spend per attendee, across multiple U.S. cities, comes in at an eye-popping $1,327, making each concert a mini economic boom. As South Florida is known for its premium prices, it is likely that spending in Miami could surpass this average due to higher local costs for lodging, dining and transportation​. Historical data from other major events, such as the Super Bowl and Formula 1, supports this trend of elevated spending due to higher costs of services in the area.

What does this mean for the hospitality industry? Higher occupancy rates, premium pricing and an earlier-than-usual kick off of the “season.” Traditionally, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show signals the start, but this year Taylor Swift will be the one lighting the fuse. The concert weekend comes with shoulder-night benefits too, as hotels impose length-of-stay restrictions to maximize revenue across multiple nights.

Hotels throughout South Florida are going all out, flexing their creative muscles to attract Swifties with themed packages and signature experiences. Forget your standard room service fare. This is about bespoke hospitality designed with a nod to Swift's discography. Hotel AKA in Brickell is curating a "Midnights Package" that includes a friendship bracelet kit, a Taylor Swift playlist and a Taylor-inspired cocktail at the ADRIFT bar. Guests can snap Instagram-worthy shots in front of a Swift-themed lobby display and score $30 off Glamsquad services.

Meanwhile, the Carillon Miami Beach has introduced a "Wellness Era" package featuring a 50-minute aromatherapy massage, touchless spa treatments, a treadmill class and friendship bracelets, perfect for guests looking to relax before the big night. And if you want to go all out, look no further than the St. Regis Bal Harbour. Their "Florida Girls Weekend" package includes a suite on the 23rd floor, accessible through a private hallway, along with a champagne experience and private car transfers. For $15,000, they’ll make sure you have a weekend worthy of Swift herself.

The competition to create memorable guest experiences is fierce, and no detail is being overlooked. At the Marriott and AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Airport, friendship bracelet stations and Taylor Swift swag are being prepped to give concertgoers a special keepsake as they head to the stadium.

It’s not just hotels feeling the impact. Local restaurants, Uber drivers and attractions are poised for a busy weekend. The trickle-down effect is real: More guests mean more tables to serve, more rides to hail and more dollars spent across the board. Available data shows, for example, that during Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix in 2023, restaurants and bars saw a 25.6% increase in spending by visitors​. And in Pittsburgh, Swift’s concert weekend in the summer of 2023 resulted in a 13.2% increase in spending by local residents.

With no hotels nearby the Hard Rock Stadium, many fans will be relying on rideshares. Uber and Lyft drivers will likely be the real MVPs of the weekend, though securing a ride after the concert might feel like trying to win the lottery. According to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, there is an average of more than 3,000 Uber rides per Swift concert, which averages 70,000+ attendees. And yes, that ride will cost you: Surge pricing goes into effect when there are more riders than available drivers in a given area.

The timing of the Eras Tour could not be more significant for Miami. The city’s reputation took a hit over the summer when ticketless fans stormed the Hard Rock Stadium during the Copa America soccer tournament, forcing an overwhelmed security detail to delay the championship game. Pulling off the Taylor Swift concerts without incident presents a chance to regain footing on the national stage.

It’s a potent combination of high demand, high expectations and high stakes for Miami’s hospitality scene that should be music to the ears of the city leaders and those in the business of hospitality.