A new report into the size
of the music tourism industry, by UK Music and VisitBritain, has identified
that 6.5 million music loving tourists attended a festival or gig last year,
generating spend of £2.2 billion in the process.
The study reveals that
tourists at live music events not only add billions to the UK economy but offer
astounding regional tourism benefits, motivating Britain-wide travel. Music
tourism provides a massive boost to the UK’s nations, regions and local economies,
including at least 24,000 jobs each year.
The Wish You Were Here
report demonstrates the incredible pulling power of live music and its
potential to fuel tourism throughout the country. VisitBritain’s ambition is to
attract a total of 40 million overseas visitors by 2020, which music tourism
will look to contribute more to over the coming years.
Wish You Were Here also
reveals:
Direct spend by music
tourists - buying tickets, paying for transport and accommodation - was worth
£1.3 billion
Further indirect music
tourism spend - additional spending along the supply chain generated by music
tourists - adds a further £914m, making a total spend of £2.2bn- The average
live music audience is comprised of 41% music tourists
Music tourists from
overseas spend, on average, £910 while attending festivals and £602 while
attending concerts (average tourist spend is £600)
Domestic music tourists
spend, on average, £396 while attending festivals and £87 while attending
concerts
Overseas tourists account
for 6% of music tourism visits but a huge 20% of music tourism spend
London attracts 28% of all
music tourists to the UK, with 1.8m visiting the capital.
In addition to calling for
an overarching strategy to encourage more music fans from overseas, Wish You
Were Here also suggests towns and cities should promote themselves by making
more of their musical heritage - as Liverpool already does with The Beatles.
It also recommends
developing and extending the Music is GREAT component of VisitBritain’s already
successful GREAT Britain You’re Invited campaign.
UK Music CEO Jo Dipple
said: “It’s clear our music industry is doing a great job for the British
economy, encouraging 6.5 million tourists who generated £2.2 billion last year.
Music tourism created over 24,000 jobs. Just think what we might achieve with
policies that specifically target the music tourist in this country and abroad?
Our opportunities are limitless. Consider the record demand for Glastonbury
2014. The love of music is a powerful driver for growth.”
VisitBritain CEO Sandie
Dawe commented: “This report confirms that the UK’s music scene has significant
international appeal and that music tourists spend lots of money and travel
across the whole of Britain. This will act as a catalyst for us all to ramp up
our activity and forge better relationships with festival organisers,
promoters, venues and producers to raise awareness of our amazing music scene
across the world.”
Brit award winner and
GREAT ambassador Jessie J added: “Music for me is the only global language.
It’s such a huge thing for Britain to have strong live music, making our mark
as performers across the world.
“I see international
visitors at my gigs all the time waving their flags. Fans that have dedicated
their time and money so I try to give them all that I have every performance. I
love the thought of them going back to their home towns across the world with
that lasting memory of me performing on stage.”
The new UK Music and
VisitBritain study follows a recent and sustained spike in interest around
music tourism. Over the summer many senior politicians, including Prime
Minister David Cameron, creative minister Ed Vaizey and shadow minister for
culture Dan Jarvis, referred to the music industry’s potential for attracting
overseas visitors to events such as Glastonbury and Bestival.
Culture Minister Ed Vaizey
MP said: “Music is without question an essential element of Britain’s tourism
appeal, and it is this ability of the UK’s music industry to attract tourists
from near and far to our shores that is celebrated in this report. The huge
financial contribution to the UK economy by the millions of music tourists to
the UK annually makes it very clear that when combined, the music and tourism
industries are powerful drivers for growth.”
