Travel tech giant Amadeus has released its annual report in which it forecasts trends in travel. The company believes the unprecedented impact of music travel is set to continue growing this year.
Stockholm experienced ‘Beyflation’ in the summer of 2023 when Beyoncé performed in the city. It resulted in a price hike in restaurants and hotels. The phenomenon of music travel is expected to drive traveller behaviour and tourism in concert destinations.
The report specifically mentions two upcoming concert tours in 2024 that have affected travel bookings.
Firstly, the UK-based band Coldplay announced June 2024 tour dates for Bucharest and Athens
Amadeus says these concerts had a significant impact on search and booking volumes, causing a 436% increase in bookings in Romania week-on-week. Flight searches to Athens increased by 62%.
Secondly, the Taylor Swift effect will play a part. Her 146 concerts in 2023 caused hotels and restaurants around the artist’s chosen locations to fill up. Swift will continue touring in 2024, and according to data, the crowds will follow.
Amadeus sees a correlation between bookings and the date of Swift’s concerts for 2024. For example, concerts set to take place in Melbourne and Sydney in February this year increased flight bookings to Australia by 446% week-on-week.
Other trends noted by the report include the growing role of social media influencers in their followers’ travel decisions. Data from the mobile booking app Hopper illustrated that when a destination trends on Tiktok, there is a spike in bookings.
Some other trends forecast by Amadeus were a rise in electric air travel, AI's increasing influence on the travel industry, and an increase in demand for business-class air tickets.
