Beyoncé, Blur & More Attract 19.2 Million Music Tourists to UK

Photo Credit: Joe Green

UK Music has revealed new statistics surrounding the value of gigs, concerts, and festivals for local economies. A total of 19.2 million music fans traveled to see music from Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Harry Styles, Blur, and more.The data reveals that the total number of music tourists attending a live music event in the UK in 2023 was 19.2 million, which is an increase of 33% from 2022 (14.4M). The total music tourism spending in 2023 was £8 billion ($10.3B), a 22% increase from 2022’s total spending of £6.6 billion ($8.5B).

What’s interesting about those stats is the total number of foreign music tourists in 2023 actually dropped from 1.053M in 2022 to just 1.014M in 2023. A foreign music tourist is someone who traveled from outside the UK to attend a live music event in the UK. The increase in spending comes from domestic music tourists, which saw a massive 36% increase year-over-year from 13.3M in 2022 to 18.2M in 2023. London saw a 40% rise in music tourists from 4.9 million in 2022 to 6.9 million in 2023.

But the growth in music tourism isn’t limited to just London, with a 86% increase in music tourists to the South West—from 1 million (2022) to 2 million (2023). The North Weast also saw an increase, rising from 352,000 (2022) to 489,000 (2023). UK Music says the high-profile Taylor Swift Eras Tour will also lend a significant boost to these numbers for 2024. It also boasts how music tourism contributes to local economies across the UK.

“Music tourism spending is made up of £4.2 billion ($5.42B) spent directly by music tourists attending concerts and festivals in the UK,” the report states. “Including the cost of a ticket, on-site spend, travel, accommodation, and meals while traveling to events. A further £3.8 billion ($4.9B) was spent indirectly through the value chain, including coasts such as fencing and security or a restaurant paying for more ingredients to handle the tourist influx.”Despite the increase in music tourism in the UK, local and grassroots venues are still struggling with rising costs and changes in ticket buying habits. More than 50 UK music festivals closed completely or postponed their 2024 shows. Meanwhile, the Music Venue Trust reports that 125 venues either shut or stopped showcasing live music in 2023.