We've watched something shift in how people experience music.

In 2023, more than 19 million tourists travelled to live events across the UK alone. They spent £8 billion in local economies. That's a 21% increase from the previous year.

The numbers tell one story. The reasons behind them tell another.

At Artist Republic, we work with performers who fill venues from Nottingham to the Middle East. We've seen the queues. We've heard the stories. We've watched people plan entire holidays around a single concert.

This isn't about tourism in the traditional sense. It's about something deeper.

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The Experience Economy Has Found Its Stage

The average American will travel more than 600 miles to see their favourite artist live.

Gen Z pushes that further. They'll travel over 800 miles for the right show.

This generation prioritises experiences over possessions. Approximately 60% would rather spend money on life experiences than save for retirement. That's not recklessness. That's a fundamental shift in what people value.

We see this in our own work. The performers we manage draw audiences who've crossed continents. They've rearranged work schedules. They've saved for months.

The ticket is just the beginning.

Recent studies found that 44% of people would travel to a concert simply as a reason to visit a new place. The music becomes the catalyst. The journey becomes the experience.

Music tourists spend an average of 25% more per day than other tourists. They arrive early. They stay late. They explore.

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What Recorded Music Can't Replicate

You can stream any song, anywhere, instantly.

So why travel?

Research shows that live music is acoustically different from recorded music. Only live settings create a close coupling between musical performances and emotional responses in listeners.

Live music stimulates the affective brain more strongly than recordings. It consistently elicits amygdala activity in ways that streaming simply doesn't.

We've built our business around this truth. The performers we work with understand that a live show isn't a reproduction of their recorded work. It's a distinct art form.

The audience knows this too.

When global audiences experience high emotional intensity at live events, they're 63% more likely to connect with brands. That emotional engagement extends beyond the music itself. It colours the entire experience of being there.

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The Mathematics of Collective Effervescence

Researchers have identified something called collective effervescence.

It's a shared emotional high that rises when many people tune into the same moment. This shared energy links to stronger wellbeing, lasting at least a week after a show.

You can't get this from your headphones.

Concerts create unity amongst strangers. Individuals become part of something larger than themselves, connected by shared love for the music and the artist.

We've supported everything from grassroots street music in Europe to festivals in the Middle East. The pattern holds across cultures. People crave this connection.

In our increasingly digital world, live music offers something rare: authentic, unmediated human connection at scale.

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The Economics Tell the Real Story

The U.S. music tourism market reached $27.58 billion in 2024.

It's expected to grow at 15.5% annually through 2033.

In the UK, music tourism supported 56,000 jobs in 2022. That number has grown.

Young people drive this growth. Tourists aged 18-34 accounted for 64.23% of the U.S. music tourism market in 2024. Three in five Gen Z and Millennial respondents confirmed they've travelled or plan to travel more than 50 miles for concerts.

The Taylor Swift phenomenon demonstrates the scale. Singapore paid her an extra $3 million per concert to keep her shows exclusive. The result? A 20% increase in passenger traffic. Local businesses capitalised on the tourist influx with Swift-inspired merchandise and experiences.

The average Eras Tour concert-goer spent $1,327.74 on their trip. That includes tickets, clothes, merchandise, food, drink, and travel.

These aren't just fans. They're economic catalysts.

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The Destination Becomes the Journey

Nearly 70% of survey respondents are more likely than ever to travel beyond their hometown for a concert.

The show becomes the anchor for a broader experience. People arrive early. They explore the city. They discover local culture. They create memories that extend far beyond the venue.

We've watched this pattern with our own roster. A tribute show in one city becomes a weekend break. A festival appearance becomes a cultural immersion.

Sixty percent of people would consider travelling to another country to attend a concert or festival if it meant saving money. The destination matters less than the experience.

This changes how we think about touring. It changes how we think about venue selection. It changes how we build relationships with local economies.
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What This Means for the Industry

At Artist Republic, we're not just booking shows. We're facilitating experiences that ripple through entire communities.

When we place a performer at a venue, we're aware of the broader impact. Hotels fill. Restaurants bustle. Local transport sees increased demand. Retail benefits.

The music industry has become infrastructure.

This creates responsibility. We work with performers who understand their role extends beyond the stage. They're ambassadors. They're economic drivers. They're creators of shared moments that people will remember for years.

The performers we manage range from sophisticated tribute shows to session musicians and theatre pit professionals. Each operates within this larger ecosystem of experience and connection.

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The Future Is Already Here

Music tourism will continue growing.

The factors driving it aren't temporary trends. They're fundamental shifts in how people value their time and money.

Experience over possession. Connection over isolation. Authenticity over convenience.

We're building systems to support this evolution. Our reach is international, but our work remains grounded in authenticity. We understand that every show is someone's reason to travel. Every performance is someone's highlight of the year.

The 19 million people who travelled for live music last year weren't chasing a trend. They were pursuing something essential: the irreplaceable experience of being present when music happens.

We're here to make sure those moments keep happening.

At Artist Republic, we empower performers who create experiences worth travelling for. Because when music works, everything else follows.