An increasing number of British fans have to travel across the UK to see high-profile music acts, a new report has revealed. Research by UK Music says 18.2 million people travelled from UK towns and cities in 2023 to see shows such as Beyonce’s first tour in seven years, Harry Styles’ world tour and Britpop group Blur headlining their first UK show since 2015 at Wembley Stadium in London.
This is an increase of 36% on 2022 , when 13.3 million people were travelling the UK to see their favourite singers and bands. Big festivals such as Glastonbury in Somerset, Boomtown in Hampshire and TRNSMT in Glasgow also contributed to the figures, UK Music said.
Harry Styles took part in a world tour last year (Ian West/PA) Total music tourism spent in 2023 was £8 billion, which is an increase of 21% on 2022 when the figure was £6.6 billion However, the industry has warned that smaller acts have not been reaping the rewards of this success. UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl said: “While music generates huge benefits for our local areas, beyond a handful of very successful musicians the opportunities for many artists are becoming increasingly squeezed.
“Grassroots music venues and festivals, studios and rehearsal spaces are facing tough economic pressures, and it’s vital that the music ecosystem that enables musicians and artists to perform is supported to ensure that everyone – no matter where they live – can have access to music. “We’re looking forward to working wit.