Tay Tay

When Taylor Swift toured Australia this year it was hard not to get caught up in the hype. Most of us knew someone that was going, and we learnt about bracelets, and Eras and NFL boyfriends. Our social media feeds were full of singalongs, tears, first concerts, and long queues for really expensive merch.

But Tay-Tay delivered much more than epic shows and memories, all up, the tour delivered an economic windfall of more than $140 million to the national economy.

The trend is in line with an international phenomenon, dubbed the Taylor Swift Effect, where sold-out runs of the singer’s 151-show The Eras Tour injected hundreds of millions of dollars into local economies even as consumers were tightening their belts.

Next week we will see upwards of 5000 people descend on Mackay for 3 days for the Queensland Mining Expo, and for the Mackay region, it is a little bit Tay Tay coming town.

For businesses connected to the METS sector, there are amazing networking opportunities, the chance to showcase products and services to a targeted audience, and access to up-to-the-minute market research and industry trends, however this influx of people also leads to increased economic activity which is hugely beneficial to local businesses.

The Mackay Region Chamber of Commerce would like to encourage all business to leverage QME to generate revenue and strengthen their ties with the local community. It is an opportunity for business to collaborate and create bundled offerings for attendees, showcase local products and promote local attractions. With increased activity we expect hospitality businesses may need to consider staffing, and even an extension of their operating hours.

As Mackay welcomes visitors from all over the world, it is an opportunity for all of us to “work in tourism” and showcase our natural assets, and unique charm.

Through, booms and busts QME, like Tay-Tay, has maintained its relevance there is just a little less sparkle and a little more hi-vis.