Tailored to swiftly burst business bubble

 

Taylor Swift fever is heating up the globe, but temperatures are not rising in Malaysia.

After all, this country has an antidote. It is our aversion to women in short skirts prancing across the stage.

The 33-year-old pop star’s ongoing world tour, dubbed the Eras Tour, has drawn millions of fans to cities that are playing host.

And in countries that have been left out of her itinerary, their leaders are pulling all stops to get her to come their way.

In response to a complaint by MP Matt Jeneroux, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau extended an open invitation to her, according to a report on www.spieltimes.com.

Chilean president Gabriel Boric pleaded to her to include his country in the Latin American leg of her tour while Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony urged her to swing by Hungary.

Closer to home, Thailand’s Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat expressed hope that she would make good a sold out concert in Bangkok that was cancelled due to a coup back in May 2014.

Their eagerness for her to perform in their respective cities is understandable.

According to CNN Travel, businesses in cities that have hosted her concerts have reported record-breaking economic benefits.

Occupancy rates at hotels have gone through the roof, even at increased room rates. Promotions, events and activations surrounding her are popping up to entice fans, and the cash is rolling in.

Airlines are practically overbooked. Air New Zealand has added 2,000 more seats in its network to fly fans into the land of the kiwi.

The impact of the “Taylor Swift effect” has been staggering, according to a CNN Travel report.

In US cities where she has performed, the economic boost generated has eclipsed the GDP of small countries, it said.

In Argentina, hotel bookings continued to soar even after the concert dates.

But Malaysia will miss out on all these goodies. Our moral well-being is just too fragile to withstand the force of arms and legs unsheathed flailing in the air.

With the moral police watching with disapproving eyes, it stands to reason that she has decided to give Malaysia a miss.

At a time when the country is still struggling to recover from the pandemic and morale is down, the Eras Tour would have come as a major boost, not just for the economy but for the soul as well.

But we have swiftly put a stop to that. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.