A £200m gift from Taylor Swift… Scotland’s economy enjoys major boost as army of Swifties descends on Edinburgh

Taylor Swift fans will give the Scottish economy a boost of up to £200 million as they descend on the capital for her three sold-out shows starting tonight.

Hundreds of them were already queuing to get their hands on the first official merchandise, while others camped out to get the best spot to watch the megastar.

Ellie Poulter, 19, one of 200,000 expected fans, made the almost 400-mile journey from Oxford and arrived yesterday with just a tent, duvet and some clothes.

However, the superfan’s dedication paid off: she was the first to emerge outside Edinburgh‘s Murrayfield Stadium.

Taylor Swift’s shows in Edinburgh this weekend are expected to rake in almost £200million as thousands of fans flock to the city

US sensation Ms Swift will kick off the first of three UK Eras Tour shows on stage in the city tonight, where she will perform more than forty songs over three and a half hours.

Over the course of the weekend, fans – ‘Swifties’ – are expected to spend an average of £848 on hotels, restaurants, taxis and other expenses.

Many have already spent hundreds of pounds on accommodation, with some hotels charging as much as £1,600 per night.

Recent data from Barclays shows in a ‘Swiftonomics’ report that fans of the superstar will inject around £185 million into the Scottish economy.

The bank estimates that fans will spend an average of £121 on accommodation, £111 on travel and £56 on food.

Global travel platform Hello tickets estimates that the concerts will attract up to 100,000 additional visitors to the city. Tourism spending alone could reach £76.5 million, including as much as £15 million on restaurants and cafes and £45 million on hotels, some of which could see their revenues increase by as much as 300 percent.

It said: ‘These figures highlight how a single event can inject tens of millions of pounds into the local economy, benefiting businesses, workers and public services.’

Dr. Peter Brooks, chief behavioral scientist at Barclays, said: ‘Whoever coined the phrase ‘money can’t buy happiness’ was clearly not a Swiftie.

First in line, fan Ellie Poulter, with her ‘merch’

Preparations are underway at Murrayfield, where 200,000 fans are expected

“There is growing evidence that spending on experiences increases happiness and well-being more than purchasing physical items, especially when that experience is shared with friends and loved ones.

“When it comes to cultural icons like Taylor Swift – as we saw with Elvis and Beatlemania in the 1950s and 1960s – supporters have such a strong bond with the artist and with the rest of the fandom that the desire to spend money becomes even more powerful.

‘For non-fans, £848 may seem like a huge amount to spend on a concert, but for Eras Tour ticket holders, every pound they spend is an investment in the memories they will create.’

VisitScotland estimates that tourists are likely to spend an average of £75 each on memorabilia and gifts during their stay, which could generate as much as £7.5 million for the local economy.

Signs are already appearing in windows welcoming fans to the city, with ‘In My Swiftie Era’ T-shirts available for purchase at various retailers.

And as drone footage showed the stadium being prepared ahead of its first performance, the arena has temporarily rebranded its sponsorship of Scottish Gas as ‘Scottish Lass’ ahead of the 34-year-old star’s arrival.

Even Edinburgh Zoo has joined Swiftmania and named two critically endangered cotton tamarin monkeys after the star.

The little animals, named Taylor and Swift, were born at the zoo on Tuesday to mother Elf and father Zecca.

Lorna Hughes, primate team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said it was ‘incredibly exciting’.

The zoo is offering fans attending the concert a 25 percent discount on admission to nearby Corstorphine from today through Sunday.

The singer is said to have Scottish descent on her mother’s side and is said to be a big fan of Scottish animals and owns two Scottish Fold cats.

Her performances in Edinburgh follow her hugely successful shows in Sweden, Portugal, Spain and France, while her European tour kicked off in Paris last month.

American pop-punk band Paramore will support Ms Swift during her three performances in Edinburgh.

Fans can expect several new looks from the star’s extensive wardrobe, including a red sparkly bodysuit for the opening portion of the show.

She is also expected to perform part of the concert dedicated to her album Tortured Poets Department in a cream-colored ball gown. The tour will be themed around the different “eras” Ms. Swift has created throughout her career, with special sets for each of her eleven studio albums.

The Wildest Dreams singer is in Edinburgh until Sunday. She will then perform for three nights at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium, followed by a performance at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and three consecutive shows at Wembley in London.

She will also play three nights at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.