North West music gigs help deliver £696m tourism boost to region

Sir Elton performed at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium before his final concert in Stockholm

Performances from stars including Sir Elton John, Stormzy and Dua Lipa helped boost music tourism by £696m in the North West last year, UK Music said.

The resurgence of live music in 2022 brought 1.9 million music tourists to the region in the first full year of post-pandemic gigs in the UK.

UK Music boss Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said the region was a "real powerhouse" when it came to the music scene.

Thousands also attended events like Parklife, Kendal Calling and Bluedot.

The UK Music report said there was an extra boost as many events had been held over from 2021 due to cancellations caused by the pandemic, including Stormzy at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, Sir Elton at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium and Dua Lipa at the AO Arena in Manchester.

Stormzy performed in Liverpool, and is pictured playing here in Stockholm

The total includes ticket sales, food and beverage sales, merchandise, venue parking, camping fees, accommodation and travel while visiting the UK for a live music event, the report said.

Mr Njoku-Goodwin said: "The North West is a real powerhouse when it comes to the UK music scene and has produced some of our best performers, including The Beatles, Cilla Black, The Stone Roses, New Order, Oasis, and Mel C.

"Venues in the major cities like Liverpool and Manchester draw in legions of music fans from across the world to see some of the best talent around, including those produced by fantastic places like the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts.

"Music has been a key ingredient in the North West's economic and cultural success - and it is critical to the region's future too."

Thousands also attended events like Parklife, Creamfields North, Bluedot, Kendal Calling and Beat-Herder

The report comes as policymakers and music industry leaders including Mr Njoku-Goodwin travelled to Liverpool for the first Modern Music Cities Conference.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham described the North West as the "heartbeat of music in this country", following the Eurovision Song Contest held in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine in May this year.

Meanwhile, Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "The success of staging a global spectacle such as Eurovision on behalf of our friends in Ukraine brought an estimated £40m economic boost to our area in May alone.

"More importantly, though, it helped to all but seal our area's title as the undisputed home of British music."

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