Glasgow is home to many famous bands and music venues. Music is a major source of recreation and revenue to the city. The music industry along contributes £160 million for the local economy. However, a new report has disclosed that the international attendees for the music events are just two per cent. The report also contains 22 suggestions for promoting the city’s music scene to international tourists.
The main recommendation is to have a dedicated music district across the city for attracting the international attendees. The other recommendations include promoting live music at Glasgow Airport, introduce techno tours, launch interactive digital maps and establish a Glasgow Music Subway Trail. “Glasgow has a phenomenal music product but it is undersold. Everybody wants to play Glasgow and the crowds are famous throughout the world but we need to promote the stories behind our venues, and the thriving scene, to capitalise on that reputation,” said Claire Bereziat, Lecturer in International Tourism Management at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Dougal Perman, Chair of the Scottish Music Industry Association, said Glasgow’s music scene needs to be recognised by the world. “Music tourism makes a significant contribution to the economy but most of the money spent on music events in the city comes from locals. Glasgow’s high reputation at home and abroad is undervalued and under-exploited. Great potential is there, but more work needs to be done to learn from the experience of others and to design practical affordable and cost-effective interventions which would command the support of the industry,” he added.
