Music tourism spending in the U.K. in 2022 was £6.6 billion ($8.6 billion), a report from industry body U.K. Music has revealed.
In 2022 – the first full year of post-pandemic festivals, gigs and concerts in the U.K. – music tourists were lured by the return of major events such as Glastonbury, where headliners included Paul McCartney, and U.K. tours by top British artists, including Dua Lipa, Stormzy, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Elton John, the report said.
The key findings of U.K. Music’s 2022 “Here, There and Everywhere” report include: total number of music tourists attending live music events across the U.K. in 2022 was 14.4 million; total number of international music tourists in 2022 was 1.1 million; total number of domestic music tourists in 2022 was 13.3 million; and total employment sustained by music tourism in 2022 was 56,000.
The data also revealed that: total attendance at U.K. festivals and concerts in 2022 was 37.1 million; a total of 6.5 million music fans attended festivals in the UK in 2022; and, a total of 30.6 million people attended concerts (which includes everything from arena shows to grassroots gigs).
U.K. Music estimates that the £6.6 billion from music tourism in 2022 could increase significantly by 2030 – with the right support from government, local councils and others to spread growth and job across the U.K.
The report includes four recommendations for local councils on how to build their own music communities: Use data to ensure music is at the heart of planning and licensing policy; create a register of available spaces and places to support music activities; enshrine music and the local community in regeneration and development; and set up or support city-wide music advisory boards.
U.K. Music chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said: “While music generates huge benefits for our local areas, the infrastructure and talent pipeline that it relies on still faces huge challenges. With a venue closing every week, one in six festivals not returning since the pandemic, and many studios facing huge economic pressures, it’s vital that we protect the musical infrastructure that does so much for our towns and cities.”
“Post-pandemic, the role of music in transformative placemaking is more important than ever – and this report provides a valuable toolkit for local authorities to help them seize the benefits of being a ‘music city,'” Njoku-Goodwin added. “By harnessing the power of music, nations and regions across the U.K. can generate thousands more jobs, boost economic growth and attract even more visitors to the local area. This report shows how to turn that potential into reality.”
