UK Music Chief Executive has told MPs how the
success of the UK music industry overseas can deliver a huge
boost to domestic tourism in the UK.
Taking about the creative industries UK Music Chief
Executive said:
“Our sectors are not just beneficiaries of tourism; we are
drivers of it as well and we are really important if this country
wants to be seen as having a thriving tourism industry.”
As the head of UK Music, the collective voice of the industry,
Jamie told the cross-party group of MPs in Westminster on Tuesday
(March 29), how the popularity of British acts abroad
helped encourage visitors to the UK and increased
spending by tourists.
His comments came during his appearance before MPs at the
Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) Select
Committee as part of their inquiry into promoting Britain
abroad.
Jamie appeared alongside BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor as part
of a panel from the creative industries giving evidence to MPs.
Jamie said: “The music industry has an
incredibly successful recorded music sector, which has a global
reach.
“We have people who have never come to the UK, who have
a connection to British music.
“In an emotional or cultural sense, often a person’s first
experience of the UK is in the films they watch and the
music they consume.”
“Major events across the UK act as tentpoles. They are drivers
for people to come to the UK for that concert or festival. That
could be Glastonbury, Wireless, Glyndebourne. These people will
be spending money in restaurants and bars, they will be staying
in hotels.”
He added: “The wider live music ecosystem, which creates a rich
cultural fabric of shows, events, gigs and concerts, creates that
reputation of the UK as somewhere that is a home of live music.
You can come here as a tourist and know that there will be
world-class theatre, amazing music and wonderful cultural events.
“When you speak to a lot of towns and cities, they want to go
from a day trip economy to an overnight economy. So, having live
music and theatre in the evening is a real
driver. It’s not just part of the music ecosystem, but part
of the wider tourism ecosystem as well.”
BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor highlighted the Music Export
Growth Scheme as a great example of industry and government
working together.
He described the scheme as “tremendously successful”, but warned
that greater investment was needed to avoid the UK losing out in
an intensely competitive global market.
Geoff Taylor said: “If we assume our music
industry will continue to be as successful in the future as it
has been in the past when other countries are investing more,
then we are being foolish because we will not maintain our level
of success without investment.”
However, the UK Music chief warned about the impact of Brexit on
the ability of British musicians and crew to work and tour across
the EU and the impact that was having on the UK’s domestic
tourism.
Jamie said: “Brexit has been a bit of a
nightmare for the music industry. It is a challenge for bigger,
established acts because of things like cabotage but it is
especially challenging for younger, new emerging artists who want
to tour Europe.
“They have gone in a year and a half from having a single set of
rules they need to navigate to a patchwork of rules and it has
been deterring artists. One of the things we are working on is
having a clearer understanding of what the rules are.”
“We want to make it easier for people to tour the EU because
these people are effectively ambassadors, building fan bases.”
A total of 33.7 million people attended live music events in
the UK in 2019, an increase of 13% on the previous year,
according to UK Music's latest available figures. The
numbers dropped significantly due to the impact of COVID-19, but
are anticipated to climb again in what will be a crucial summer
for the sector.
The Music Venue Trust estimates that every £10 spent in a music
venue is worth £17 to the local economy.
Research commissioned by Liverpool City Council in 2016 found
that The Beatles heritage was worth £82 million per year to the
city and supported 2,335 jobs.
UK Music’s report This Is Music 2021 found
that a small music venue event (200 capacity)
creates almost £50,000 additional value for the economy,
a medium music venue event (600 capacity)
creates more than £140,000, and
a large music venue event (1800 capacity) creates
£425,000.
Notes to editors:
You can read UK Music’s full submission to the DCMS Select
Committee here.
You can watch Jamie Njoku-Goodwin’s appearance before the Select
Committee on March 29 here.
