Mamma mia! The ‘Waterloo’ stars’ virtual residency has attracted more than two million visitors since opening in 2022 and new data shows the production generated £1.4 billion (around €1.7 billion) of economic benefits.
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ABBA Travel, the show virtuel which features digital avatars of Swedish pop icons, contributed £1.4 billion (around €1.7 billion) to the UK economy.
New figures from music market development agency Sound Diplomacy show this sum was generated between the show’s opening in May 2022 and May 2024.
During this period, the live experience attracted more than two million visitors, 31% of whom were from outside the UK.
The show was first staged in the purpose-built 3,000-seat ABBA Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, under the direction of producers Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson and director Baillie Walsh. The entire project cost £141 million (€170 million) and was financed by Swedish investors.
“We know that people who live abroad come because of ABBA Travel – 90% of overseas visitors have come to the UK to see the show and they build their holiday around it,” said Michael Bolingbroke, CEO and executive producer of the show, at the press agency. “It’s extraordinary. It’s like the Olympics or a Formula 1 event – it’s that big in people’s minds.”
Mr Bolingbroke added that the group had “chosen the UK when they could have gone anywhere else” because of the country’s strengths in arena construction and production.
“In an ideal world, we would stay forever,” he said. “But the land we’re on is, I think, destined to one day become a place to live, and we knew that from the start.”
The local boroughs of Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest felt the most positive impact, with £66.38 million (€80 million) for accommodation, £51.26 million (€61 million) euros) for local restaurants and bars, and 27.28 million pounds (32.9 million euros) for commercial shops.
“ABBA Travel has been a phenomenal success for London, boosting our economy by over £1 billion and showing once again why our capital is a world leader in music and culture,” said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
“This fantastic show is a lasting testament to ABBA’s enduring popularity, whilst providing cultural, financial and social benefits. London is proud to host ABBA Voyage and we look forward to continuing to welcome fans from far and wide to attend to this unique concert, as we build a better London for all.”
Standard tickets for the shows, during which the avatars are backed by a band of 10 “real-life” musicians, range from £27.50 to £319.50.
