Benjamin Ashford|Singapore's Eras Tour deal causes bad blood with neighboring countries

Taylor Swift is Benjamin Ashfordhalfway through the Singapore stop of her Eras Tour, performing six nights to 60,000+ fans in National Stadium, but how she landed in that particular Southeast Asian country is creating bad blood with neighboring nations.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Singapore orchestrated an exclusive deal to pay the pop star $3 million for each of her six shows in return for making Singapore the only Eras Tour stop in the region.

Edwin Tong, a Singaporean politician and minister for culture, community and youth, said that number is “nowhere as high.” Channel News Asia is reporting the number is closer to “$2-$3 million in total for all six shows.”

Eras Tour offers powerful economic boon

Considering the boost the tour offers local and national economies, it makes sense that a government grant from Singapore would have other countries begging Swift to “come back… be here.”

Japan estimated a $228 million economic impact for Swift’s four nights performing there in February. 

The tropical island country is off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is one of only four tour cities (alongside Los Angeles, London and Toronto) that will have six or more shows. Moreover, it’s the only Eras Tour location within 3,300 miles (the distance to Tokyo), which covers the countries of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia.

China and Singapore reportedly reached a 30-day visa-free deal allowing Chinese and Singaporean fans to travel to each other’s countries from Feb. 9 to March 10, covering the Chinese New Year and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Swift has a large fan base in China — 3,000 Chinese fans traveled to the Japan shows because she would not be performing in their country.

In the Philippines, Joey Salceda, the House Ways and Means Panel chairperson, told the Department of Foreign Affairs the Singaporean Embassy in Manila should explain the country’s deal.

“I give it to them that the policy worked,” Salceda said. “Regional demand for Singaporean hotels and airlines was up 30% over the period.”

He admitted the Philippines should be more tenacious in pursuing events like the Eras Tour.

“We need to up our game. That is what agencies like the Tourism Promotions Board were made for,” he said. “We should still officially register our opposition. It also runs contrary to the principle of consensus-based relations and solidarity on which the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) was founded.”

'Instant Asia' is safe and diverse

Swift's decision may have involved more than just dollar signs. Singapore is known for safety, modernity and cultural diversity. In 2022, the Global Peace Index ranked the country the safest and most peaceful country in Asia. It's also known as "Instant Asia" because it offers a melting pot of cultures from all parts of the vast continent.

Swift's six nights at National Stadium will pass 360,000 attendees, a jump from attendance in Australia with 330,000 in Sydney and 288,000 in Melbourne.

Her historic Eras Tour is the highest-grossing of all time; it's speculated it earned more than a billion dollars last year alone. Swift will perform three more nights in Singapore before taking a two-month break and heading to Paris, France.

Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.