Music tourists in the UK increased by 34% between 2011 and 2014, with 9.5 million people travelling to music events in 2014, according to a report titled “Wish You Were Here 2015”.
These tourists, who attend live concerts and festivals in the UK, helped generate £3.1 billion in direct and indirect spending, according to the UK Music website.
UK Music, the consortium that supports the UK music industry’s political needs, published the report last week, which is an economic study that reveals the vast contribution of music tourism to the UK economy. The study was undertaken by Oxford Economics on behalf of UK Music and its members.
Music festivals and concerts are regular features of British culture. Importantly, music tourism has been driving wealth into recovering local economies across the whole of the UK.
The past four years have also seen a dramatic 39% rise in overseas tourists travelling to the UK to attend music events, each with an average spending of £751 going directly to UK businesses.
This increase in music tourism provides a huge boost to employment throughout the country, with 38,238 full-time jobs in 2014 sustained by music tourism in the UK. This in itself marks a 57-percent increase from the 2012 figure of 24,521.
The report provides detailed evidence of the direct impact that music events and this new influx of fans have within every region of the UK, as well as practical examples of some of the many festivals, venues and companies helping to support this booming music tourism industry. These include Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight Festival, T-in The Park in Scotland, Green Man in Wales’ beautiful Brecon Beacons, Koko in London, Sheffield’s iconic Leadmill venue and the Sage in Gateshead.
Jo Dipple, UK Music chief executive, said, “The UK’s rich music heritage and infrastructure has made the UK the go-to destination for live music globally and these statistics show how tourism is now a bedrock of British music and the wider economy.”
Andy Heath, chairman UK Music, said, “More international music tourists are coming to the UK and more Brits are traveling further afield to gigs. The average spend by international music tourists has increased by 13% during this period, while the total exports have grown by less than 2%. If we want an export-led recovery, we need music tourists to keep coming to the UK.”
