Over 19.2 million music fans attended live music events in the UK in 2023, a new report from UK Music has revealed.
The research has been conducted by the industry body as part of their annual assessment of music tourism in the UK and the value of gigs, concerts and festivals to local economies.
The 2023 figure is a 33% increase on the previous year, which saw 14.4 million music tourists attend live music events in the UK.
UK shows by the likes of Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Harry Styles, as well as festivals like Glastonbury, Boomtown and TRNSMT, have been identified as major contributing factors to this rise in music tourism.
UK Music note that Taylor Swift’s high-profile Eras Tour is likely to give a further significant boost to figures for 2024, 'making the UK one of the global touring centres'.
London saw a 40% increase in music tourism in 2023, rising from 4.9 million in 2022 to 6.9 million. There was also an 86% increase in music tourists to the South West, rising from 1 million in 2022 to 2 million in 2023. In the North East, a 29% increase in music tourism has been reported (from 352,000 in 2022 to 489,000 in 2023).
Total music tourism spending also increased in 2023, rising by 21% (£6.6bn in 2022) to £8bn. £4.2bn of that figure was spent directly by music tourists attending concerts and festivals in the UK, including the cost of a ticket, on-site spend, travel, accommodation and meals while travelling to events. A further £3.8bn was spent indirectly through the value chain, including costs such as fencing and security, or a restaurant paying for ingredients.
You can see a breakdown of the 2023 music tourism data, sorted by nations and English regions, below:
Northern Ireland
Visits: 345,000
Spend: £135m
Employment: 1,110
Scotland
Visits: 1.6 million
Spend: £499m
Employment: 4,320
Wales
Visits: 707,000
Spend: £276m
Employment: 2,830
London
Visits: 6.9 million
Spend: £2.8bn
Employment:17,210
North East
Visits: 489,000
Spend: £187m
Employment: 1,730
North West
Visits: 2.3 million
Spend: £735m
Employment: 6,220
Yorkshire and the Humber
Visits: 1.1 million
Spend: £434m
Employment: 3,890
East Midlands
Visits: 649,000
Spend: £398m
Employment: 3,530
West Midlands
Visits: 1.2 million
Spend: £510m
Employment: 4,470
East of England
Visits: 625 million
Spend: £363m
Employment: 2,840
South East
Visits: 1.2 million
Spend: £715m
Employment: 4,994
South West
Visits: 2 million
Spend: £897m
Employment: 8,680
Despite this growth in music tourism, numerous independent festivals and grassroots music venues are still struggling with rising costs and changes in ticket-buying habits, while artists are facing a cost-of-touring crisis.
The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) reports that 50 UK festivals have completely closed or been postponed or cancelled for 2024, while the Music Venue Trust (MVT) reports that 125 venues either shut or stopped live music in 2023.
UK Music published its Manifesto for Music in September 2023, which outlined measures that could be taken to 'supercharge music industry growth and support the talent pipeline'.
In a statement, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: ‘The UK’s thriving music industry continues to be one of our most powerful global exports and an important driver of economic growth. In towns and cities across the country, the music industry provides entertainment, employment and inspiration to millions.
‘This Government will work hard to ensure our creative industries get the support they need to flourish, driving opportunity and economic growth into every community and inspiring the next generation of performers.’
