As more and more travellers plan trips around chasing passion-led events across the globem “gig-tripping” isn’t just a fad – it’s a whole new way to travel

Between 2023 and 2024, former country singer turned international pop star Taylor Swift single-handedly become one of the biggest revenue generators for the global hotel and tourism industries. Already a popular entertainer, this was the era that Swift became a ground-breaking cultural icon. Her aptly-named Eras Tour – which ran from 17 March 2023 to 8 December 2024 – grossed a record US$2 billion dollars, without even counting merchandise. But that wasn’t the only reason why it was described as being one of the most disruptive events in music history. It was also because of the impact that it had on fan culture; the way that the tour was promoted and marketed – with a concert film and book also released during its tenure; and the profound impact it had on the global hospitality and travel industry.

Swift’s Eras Tour – a record-breaking event consisting of 149 shows in 21 different countries across five continents, with more than 18 different artists enlisted as supporting acts – sold out stadiums across the world… and with them, countless flights and hotels. According to the U.S. Travel Association, each “Swiftie” (as her fans are called) spent an average of US$1,300 on their tour experience, incorporating travel and transport, hotels, food, and merchandise. The price of the tickets themselves typically cost upwards of US$1,000, and fans’ spending patterns were more dramatic than any other tour in history.

The Era’s Tour has, in many ways, been a masterclass in how to leverage a buzz-worthy event to create a major travel-related boost. For industry folk the world over, the key lesson here is that fan exploitation can pay some seriously big bucks – and that turning different elements of travel for an event into a rich and immersive experience can really pay off.

Game, Set, Match
Historically, major football events have been another way to attract fans from across the world. The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar not only boosted the aviation sector through an unprecedented number of flights to Qatar (and its neighbouring countries), the event also inspired changes to the city’s infrastructure that had not only significant, but lasting impact. The event was surmrised to be the most expensive World Cup in history, but it also injected serious economic benefits back in to the country, with a US$17 billion boost and the creation of nearly 500,000 jobs. Events like this are about more than just bringing guests in for the duration of the event itself – they’re also about helping to put the host locations on the world map in a way that they weren’t before. Especially in the age of social media, where those who travel for specific events can share their authentic, direct experiences to countless others in every corner of the world, it’s an invaluable form of marketing, PR, and brand- and reputation-building on a world stage.

In December 2024, Saudi Arabia won an uncontested bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. With the event set to take place just four years after the country arrives at its Vision 2030, it will undoubtedly draw even more eyes to the kingdom’s many unique offerings in travel and tourism.

Events of a smaller scale can also lure in visitors who will book hotels and restaurants, shop, and make the most of their time at a destination. When Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island launched in the UAE capital in 2020, it was described by Dana White, president and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), as a workaround for travel restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions had made it difficult for some international fighters to enter the U.S. to compete there – and as a private island that would even have a bio-secure bubble, the UAE’s Yas Island was proposed as the ideal location to hold them.

Although the UAE capital had already had a long-standing relationship with the UFC – with 18 related events having been held there since 2010 – Fight Island made global headlines in a big way, highlighting the appeal of visiting the city for tourism, as well as sporting events. The partnership between the UFC and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi was made official in 2019, and has already been extended until 2028.

Another major sporting partnership attracting global talent – and fans – to Abu Dhabi is The NBA Abu Dhabi Games. In 2021, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi announced a multi-year partnership to host the first NBA games in the UAE, that would begin in 2022. In 2024, the third edition of the event – with the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets going head-to-head at Etihad Arena – not only enticed NBA fans from the entire MENA region and beyond to the games, it also saw the players visiting cultural sites, and their personnel meeting with local businesses.

The New York Times published a piece titled “Why the NBA is making Abu Dhabi its Middle East hub.” Hotels in the capital created special packages for fans: the Ramada by Wyndham Abu Dhabi Corniche offered deals on rooms or suites with tickets to the games, while the Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island curated an NBA-themed staycation package, including a stay in a one-bedroom suite, complimentary tickets to the games, all-inclusive meals, and access to the hotel’s pool, beach, and entertainment facilities such as a tennis court.

Sponsorships are another way for brands to get in on the action. In 2024, IHG Hotels & Resorts became the official hotel partner of the Emirates Dubai 7s – an annual rugby sevens and social event founded in 1970, which is the longest-running sports event in the Middle East. Through its partnership with Manchester United, Marriott Bonvoy offers its members exclusive fan access, from going behind the scenes at Old Trafford to meeting team players.

Last summer, the Marriott Palm Resort Jumeirah unveiled the “Twinned Suite of Dreams” – a room themed around the club, created in honour of the 25th anniversary of its historic 1998-1999 Treble-winning season. Available for a limited time only, its themed décor included unique memorabilia, such as a hub for 90s-era movies, music, and games (complete with curated VHS videos of classic team tales and matches); an adidas Predator Boot display; game-worn jerseys and authentic matchday programmes; and a retro mini-bar stuffed with treats that fans enjoyed during the decade’s matches.

Meanwhile, Premier Inn Middle East hedged a bet on racing by sponsoring a team in the 2023 Formula Ethara junior racing team’s Rookie category. The brand – which places high value on supporting sporting and community events across the Middle East – was rewarded by being able to share the joy of their sponsored team, Limitless Speed, as they became the winning team.

The aviation industry, too, has long seen the merit of sponsoring sporting teams and events. Many Middle Eastern airlines – including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, and Etihad Airways – have famously sponsored the world’s best teams in football, tennis, motorsports, horse racing, cricket, and more, as well as events like the Special Olympics. On the cultural front, many aviation and hospitality brands also sponsor festivals, performances, and events surrounding music, film, and literature.

Emirates, for instance, has been the title sponsor of the Emirates Literature Foundation’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature – the Arab world’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, now one of the world’s leading international literary festivals – since its first edition back in 2009. MICE travel continues to be another major events-driven tourism boon, attracting thousands of people to a city for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions – and the “bleisure” that tends to follow.

GIG-ONOMICS
In the current day, the term “Gig Economy” is typically used to describe a labour market characterised by a growing prevalence for short-term contracts or freelance work, versus permanent jobs – and “gigonomics” essentially describes the economic effects of this trend. But if Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has taught us anything, it’s that the other definitions of a gig – live performances, or opportunities to earn income outside of standard, long-term situations – can be just as lucrative. In a world where limited-edition products or services – and the sense of urgency, exclusivity, and FOMO (fear of missing out) they can create among consumers – are so highly coveted, events-driven travel, aka gig-tripping, is an opportunity too great to ignore.

From concerts by world-leading musical artists to theatrical performances, sporting events, gastronomical festivals, corporate summits, MICE events, networking meet-ups, seminars and workshops, charitable occasions, and more, there is no shortage of inspiration for savvy businesses to get creative and capitalise on the power of community. Whatever the interest, no matter how common or niche it is, it will have its dedicated followers. By offering more people the chance to immerse themselves in their passions, hobbies, or careers in a way that feels truly rewarding and deeply experiential, there is plenty of opportunity to create a win-win situation for brands and consumers alike. The key here is authenticity – to really speak to the fans, it is essential to understand the fans: what they want, what drives them, what they value. And for brands who can tap into that, the sky’s the limit.

Source: www.businesstraveller.com