According to a report by industry body UK Music, the number of overseas music tourists visiting the UK reached a new high of 1.1 million in the previous year, marking the first time it

surpassed the one million mark. The report reveals that music tourism contributed £6.6 billion to the UK economy. Music tourism refers to individuals traveling to different cities or towns to attend music concerts or festivals.

Prominent artists such as Harry Styles, Stormzy, Dua Lipa, and Paul McCartney attracted a significant number of overseas music tourists to their concerts in 2022, which was the first full year after the pandemic. Additionally, another 13 million music tourists from within the UK traveled to attend gigs by artists like Ed Sheeran and Elton John, resulting in a total annual expenditure of £6.6 billion on music tourism. This spending is estimated to support approximately 56,000 jobs.

Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, the CEO of UK Music, emphasized the significance of a thriving musical ecosystem for towns and cities, stating that music is a valuable asset for the country. He highlighted its contribution to the economic success of local areas and its ability to generate soft power and global recognition for cities. However, Njoku-Goodwin also expressed concerns about the challenges faced by the music sector, including venue closures, festival cancellations, and economic pressures on studios. He emphasized the need to protect the musical infrastructure that plays a crucial role in supporting towns and cities.

This year's music tourism figures are expected to remain high, given the large number of fans who traveled to Liverpool for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in May. Photo by Michael Doherty, Wikimedia commons.