After helping boost the US economy with The Eras Tour, her record-breaking series of worldwide shows, Taylor Swift is now spreading her influence across Europe.
A report by online travel booking company eDreams Odigeo says Swift's fans, known as Swifties, are spurring massive air travel demand to Europe.
Swift is performing multiple stadium tours between May and August, starting with Paris on May 9 and concluding in London on August 20.
Demand for flights to Stockholm between May 17 and 19, when the star is due to perform, has jumped six-fold from the same period a year ago, eDreams says. Meanwhile, demand for flights to Warsaw, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Paris on the days around Swift's concerts jumped 339 per cent, 176 per cent, 133 per cent and 108 per cent, respectively.
Transatlantic demand has risen the most, the Barcelona-based company says, suggesting strong interest from American Swifties in the European performances.
Besides the top five cities, demand has risen in cities such as Zurich, Lyon, Milan, Amsterdam, Vienna and Madrid, where Taylor will also perform.
This unusual pattern reflects Swift's influence on the music scene and her substantial economic impact. Her positive effect on the US economy has been dubbed "Swiftonomics", a term coined to describe her big-spending fanbase who are willing to pay over the odds on tickets, hotels, merchandise and other auxiliary costs in the cities she performs in.
Her gravitas is likely to be a welcome boost to many across the continent, which has been battling to avoid a recession following the widespread economic downturn.
The pop star concluded the first US leg of The Eras Tour in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium in August last year, where her six-night residency delivered a $320 million boost to Los Angeles County's GDP and $160 million in local earnings, a report from the California Centre for Jobs showed.
The Eras Tour was projected to have a $5 billion economic impact on the US, according to software company QuestionPro. That would produce a GDP larger than 50 countries.
It is also Swift's first stadium tour since 2018 and her most expansive yet, with 151 shows across five continents. It will conclude in Vancouver on December 8.
The Eras Tour surpassed $1 billion in revenue in December, making it history's highest-grossing music tour, according to Guinness World Records.
Swift released an accompanying film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, in October 13, which recently became the highest-grossing concert film of all-time, earning $261.6 million worldwide. It received acclaim from critics and has also been nominated for multiple awards.
Swift was also Spotify's most-streamed artist last year with more than 26.1 billion streams since January 1. In recognition of her impact, Time magazine named her their Person of the Year in December.
Agencies contributed to this report
Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
How to avoid crypto fraud
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
