Victoria cracks down ticket scalpers as Melbourne The Eras Tour concerts officially declared a major event

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

The Andrews Labor Government is cracking down on ticket scalpers and protecting Taylor Swift fans from being ripped off, with the pop star’s Melbourne The Eras Tour concerts officially declared a major event.

The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos has made a major event ticketing declaration for Taylor Swift’s Melbourne performances under the Major Events Act 2009 due to the expected strong demand for tickets to one of the hottest gigs in town.

Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour is a global phenomenon and has sold out with unprecedented demand across the world.

By making a major event ticketing declaration for the concerts, fans are protected from being ripped off by ticket scalpers, ensuring that tickets are available at a fair price. Under the legislation, tickets to a declared major event can’t be advertised for resale or resold for more than 10 per cent above their original value.

In addition to this, ticket package sellers are required to be authorised by the event organiser, and individual ticket advertisements must also include ticket and seating details.

Any ticket seller who does not comply with the above are subjected to penalties that can range from $925 up to $554,760 depending on the nature of the offence.

Given that The Eras Tour will only play in two Australian cities, it’s expected that more than 60,000 attendees will be from interstate and overseas, giving Melbourne’s economy a massive boost through spending on accommodation, retail, food, beverage and transport in the city.

Cementing Victoria’s reputation as the major events capital of Australia, Swift is playing two shows at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in February 2024. Crowds are expected to reach 180,000 over two nights, with fans travelling from across Australia and New Zealand to see the pop star perform.

Major headline acts like Taylor Swift are a major economic win for Victoria, including for Melbourne’s hotels which see a surge in bookings when fans come to town. When Ed Sheeran played the MCG in March this year Melbourne’s hotel occupancy reached 90.1 per cent.

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