More Filipinos Bought Klook’s SG Taylor Swift Ticket+Stay Package Than Any Other ASEAN Country
There’s no denying that Filipinos are among the most enthusiastic fans of Taylor Swift in Southeast Asia, if not the world. Many Filipinos flew to Japan, Australia, and Singapore to watch their idol in The Eras Tour, according to a popular travel and experiences platform.
According to Michelle Ho, Klook general manager for the Philippines and Thailand, the platform sold a concert ticket and overnight stay package that, at one point, had two million customers in queue globally. It sold out within six hours.
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“We sold more than 60,000 seats, not just for the Philippines but the entire Klook," Ho said. “At least 10 percent of that number came from the Philippines (versus) single digit (market share) for the other markets (in ASEAN). So malakas talaga si Taylor Swift sa Pilipinas.”
While the pop star also performed in Tokyo, Sydney, and Melbourne, most Filipinos went to Singapore because of its visa-free entry policy, she added.
Because of the success of Klook’s Eras Tour package, Klook says it plans to offer more music and sports tourism packages, particularly for global events like the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the World Expo Osaka in 2025. Ho, however, declined to name any other artists who will have shows in Asia that the company intends to tie-up with.
During the media forum, Klook shared data from its latest Travel Pulse study. Around 76 percent of survey respondents said they were planning international trips this year, while 46 percent of respondents said they traveled abroad in 2023. Meanwhile, 93 percent reported going to domestic destinations in 2023, while 92 percent said they intend to travel to places within the Philippines this year.
Klook, which has around four million active users in the Philippines said 86 percent of survey respondents are triggered to go on trips by special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, 84 percent because of airline promos, and 72 percent by public holidays.
In addition, about 63 percent of those who have plans of traveling this year have already booked tickets, accommodations, or activities for their trip.
The study also found that most Filipinos plan their trips abroad carefully, with many booking flights at least four to six months in advance, while experiences are booked four months four months ahead.
For those traveling domestically, domestic flights are booked two to six months before their trip, while tours at their destination of choice are booked one month ahead.
Based on the study, many Filipino travelers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, get their travel-related information from social media. While most millennials turned to Facebook for travel tips, Gen Zs preferred TikTok.
One other travel trend revealed in the study is how “shared experiences” have become the “new love language” of younger generations. Nine out of 10 people surveyed said they wanted to go on trips with immediate family and partners, with millennials preferring to travel in groups of three to four people, while Gen Zs choosing to travel in groups of as many as seven to eight people.
