‘Celebrity inflation’ is a social-media phenomenon
A feature of modern popular culture is its ability to elevate certain individuals from their real-life plane of equality with their fellow humans and ascribe to them attributes fit for a superhero rather than a mere mortal. The media created stars and superstars in the 20th century as well, but the era of social media seems to have spawned a colossal celebrity that transcends borders, bringing inflation and much else in its wake.
A Beyonce concert reportedly caused a temporary spike in inflation in Sweden as fans descended on Stockholm to attend her two-day performance in May, putting pressure on hotels, restaurants and clubs and causing prices and wages to spike. Now, it is Taylor Swift’s turn to bring celebrity inflation to Singapore, much to the chagrin of fans in Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, since Singapore is the only destination in Southeast Asia for Swift’s Eras Tour.
Swift is slated to perform at the Singapore National Stadium in March 2024, and the clamour for tickets, flights and hotel bookings has already begun. From March 2 to March 10, Singapore will be flooded by Swifties from across the world, including India.
The Singapore Tourism Board has been trying to turn the city-state into a hub of event-based tourism as it lacks the natural attractions of neighbouring nations. How it copes with the pressure of hosting tens of thousands of visitors over a short period – particularly how it handles the demand for and supply of temporary labour – will be instructive for all policymakers.
It isn’t just singers who have their celebrity magnified by social media. Lionel Messi, the Argentine footballer with a legitimate claim to being of the greatest of all time, has ended his long career in
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