Pinoys rank 4th among top concert spenders in Asia-Pacific

Filipinos are among the biggest spenders in the Asia-Pacific region for live concerts, ranking fourth among respondents surveyed by digital payments company Visa, a report by Vonne Aquino on State of the Nation said Friday evening.

Based on an online survey in the Philippines from May to June last year, 38% of Filipino respondents said they have attended concerts over the past 12 months, both locally or overseas.

This placed them fourth in the region, following India at 45%, Vietnam at 41%, and Indonesia at 40%.

The Visa study in the Philippines surveyed 500 individuals, with male and female respondents aged 18 to 65.

Of the Filipinos who traveled abroad to attend a music concert, 37% said they planned a trip specifically to attend the event.

True Swiftie

Pinay Swiftie Blessa Jana Samuel did just that, saving up the cash for airline tickets and a VIP seat at Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour concert in Japan.

"Sobrang sarap po na pinaghirapan ko po siya, sarili ko pong hirap para maka-attend ng concert niya," a teary-eyed Blessa told GMA Integrated News.

(It feels great that I worked hard. I did the hard work to attend her concert.)

In true Swiftie fashion, Blessa sold Taylor Swift merchandise to finance her dream.

After six months, she was able to earn P120,000 for the concert expenses. How did she spend her money? Aside from the airfare and accommodations, P22,000 went to the VIP concert ticket, P5,000 for the OOTD during the event, and a side trip of attractions in Japan since she was already in the Land of the Rising Sun.

"Inisip ko rin naman na 'yung pera ko babalik din naman eh, eh yung memory na bubuuin ko sa trip na iyon, priceless po siya," Blessa said.

(My mindset was that I can always earn money again, but the memories I'd bring home from the trip, those are priceless.)

Willingness to consume

According to sociologist Samuel Cabbuag, the Filipinos' desire to attend concerts and meet-and-greet events is their way of showing support for their idols.

"'Yung ganoong willingness to consume, 'yung willingness na maglabas ng pera, shows na may kahalagahan 'yung papanoorin nila, and for them, it's worth the price," Cabbuag said.

(That willingness to consume, that willingness to spend, shows that they value what they are going to watch, and for them, it's worth the price.)

In a statement reporting the results of its Green Shoots Radar study on concert spending, Visa said one of the key trends in 2024 was that consumers will continue to travel locally and abroad to attend live music concerts amid the resurgence of live in-person events in the post-pandemic era.

"This trend is expected to persist in 2024, driven by popular acts performing in the region. Live music concerts are the most popular event type, followed by theatre/music shows and sporting events," Visa said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News