Coldplay fans are flocking to hotels across Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland as its Music of the Spheres Tour kicks off in Australia and New Zealand.
The tour, which recently made history as the highest-grossing rock tour of all time, is the first rock tour to surpass US$1 billion in revenue, and second only to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.
The UK band plays the first of 11 shows in the region tonight, beginning at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne’s Docklands (Oct 30-31, Nov 2-3), before four nights at Sydney’s Accor Stadium (Nov 6-7, 9-10) and onto Auckland’s Eden Park (Nov 13, 15, 16).
Recent data from CoStar shows Auckland experiencing the highest occupancy levels of the three cities, peaking at 84.1% for Friday November 15, representing a 33.9% increase from the same time last year.
The second highest occupancy on the books (79.1%, +25.5% year over year) falls on the following night.
“Coldplay’s visit couldn’t come at a better time as Auckland has struggled with occupancy for a couple months now,” said STR’s Regional Director for the Pacific, Matthew Burke.
“With the tour already pushing the market’s daily occupancy over the 80% mark, this will be the first time Auckland will see levels this high since July.”
Both Sydney’s and Melbourne’s highest occupancy on the books are on Saturdays – November 9 (55.3%) and November 2 (54.5%), respectively. When compared to the same time last year, booking levels were at 45.6% in Sydney and 50.3% in Melbourne.
Accor occupancy up across all three cities
At October 30, Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, reports an 18% lift in occupancy levels (10.7 occupancy points) at Sydney hotels over the concert dates, when compared to the same period last year.
The four sold-out concerts at Accor Stadium alone are set to draw more than 300,000 fans.
Accor’s Melbourne hotels are holding 5% more bookings (+2.9 occupancy points) over the concert dates, with Auckland seeing an increase of more than 14% (+9.2 occupancy points), when compared to the previous year.
“Perth saw a huge spike in hotel performance for Coldplay’s visit in November 2023, and we anticipate the same booking levels across Sydney and Melbourne,” Burke said.
“Due to November being a traditionally busy month for Australian tourism, we can expect to see the tour’s impact reflected significantly on room rates rather than occupancy.”
Data from SiteMinder predict hotel arrivals in Sydney will skyrocket by 125% compared to the same period last year, with ADR up 30% year-on-year, rising from A$369.82 to A$481.20.
‘Speed of sound’: fans book accommodation early
SiteMinder’s data also shows that fans are booking further in advance to secure their preferred accommodation.
On average, guests booked their stays 192.5 days in advance, a 33.47% increase from last year’s 144.2 days, according to SiteMinder.
Accor reports that, on average, bookings were made 90 days in advance, marking a 140% increase from the previous year.
“It’s clear that fans are not only eager to travel for their favourite artists, but they’re also planning well in advance,” said Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams.
“While events like these are non-discretionary leisure experiences for many, we’re finding that fans are willing to invest more to make the most of the occasion and create a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“This highlights the vital role major events play in driving tourism and stimulating economic activity.
“Our hotel teams are ready to welcome fans and will go above and beyond to deliver the highest level of service, ensuring an incredible concert experience. We want each guest to feel that they’re part of something truly special.”
High demand, shorter stays
Despite the sharp rise in bookings, SiteMinder reports that the average length of stay across the band’s performance dates will decrease by 14.91% year-on-year, from 1.98 days in 2023 to 1.69 days this year, suggesting that the spike in bookings has primarily been fuelled by concertgoers choosing shorter stays focused around the event.
SiteMinder Regional Vice President of Asia Pacific, Bradley Haines, said the fan-driven demand for accommodation is just the latest example of a global trend.
“The strong return of events and, in particular, record-setting concerts, is offering a boost to the global hotel industry and to local economies,” Haines said.
“It’s clear that fans are not only happy to travel for their favourite bands; they are also planning well ahead and willing to spend a premium for the experience.
“Hotels would do well to further capitalise on these opportunities by enhancing those experiences with custom packages that unlock additional revenue, such as happy hour at their onsite bar or partnerships with nearby restaurants.”