Opportunities to stimulate tourism from music events

The first-ever concert by Korean girl group Blackpink in Hanoi on July 29-30 attracted 60,000 fans, grabbing the attention of the press and social media influencers and subsequently helping popularise images of the host country. Spectator spending on food, transport, and accommodation in Hanoi before and after each show also created tremendous growth for the local economy.

Opportunities to stimulate tourism from music events

According to statistics from Agoda, the number of hotel room searches in Hanoi in the last week of July ballooned 10-fold compared to the previous week, and increased about 2.5 times compared to neighbouring destinations such as Cambodia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Before the events, flight tickets to Hanoi sold out despite higher prices. Round-trip airfares from domestic destinations to Hanoi increased up to triple compared to weekdays, while round-trip flights from Thailand, China, and some neighbouring countries to Hanoi in the days leading up to the show hit around $340 per trip.

According to Hanoi Department of Tourism, the number of visitors to the capital in July reached nearly 2.4 million, up 21.4 per cent over the same period last year. This included more than 380,000 foreign arrivals and about two million domestic tourists, with total tourism revenues of $374 million.

Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son, standing member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Education, noted that Blackpink’s Born Pink world tour has grossed over $163 million in total.

“The success of the show makes us think more about investing in the cultural industry to create spillover effects to other socioeconomic fields and build Vietnam’s reputation and brand globally,” suggested Son.

A week earlier, the WonderFest Music event at Vinpearl Nha Trang, with the participation of American artist Charlie Puth, attracted about 8,000 people.

The number of bookings in Nha Trang at the time increased six times compared to normal days, based on Agoda statistics. Some accommodation facilities on Hon Tre island, including Vinpearl, are typically always sold out.

Vinpearl CEO Jurgen Peter Dorr said that WonderFest contributes to making Vietnam a must-visit destination on the international tourist map.

“We look forward to developing WonderFest into a special tourism product, not only for the Vinpearl chain but also an independent brand capable of attracting tourists, contributing to making Vietnam a leading destination in the region and beyond,” Dorr said.

According to Future Market Insights, the global music tourism market reached $5.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $11.3 billion in the next 10 years. While North America and Europe are still the leading regions, Asia-Pacific is also growing rapidly.

Neighbouring countries of Vietnam have been quick to seize the opportunity of major performances to attract tourists and promote development.

Earlier this year, tourism in Thailand earned more than $20-30 million from Blackpink’s concert through accommodation, flight tickets, transportation, and consumption in the five days before and after the show.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said that, along with concerts of other K-pop groups, Blackpink’s concert played an important role in promoting the image of Thailand to international friends.

“Music concerts help generate income for the tourism industry and the economy. BlackPink’s concert was an important part of helping Thailand become a music destination in the region. Each concert generates revolving income for the tourism industry and the economy as a whole,” said a TAT representative.

Meanwhile, Singapore collected more than $35 million from Blackpink’s performance in May, while Indonesia earned almost the same amount.

In Vietnam, small-scale music nights by domestic artists held in popular destinations such as Dalat, Ninh Binh, and Vinh Phuc have attracted 500-1,000 visitors in recent times. Visitors are often willing to spend on extra services and accompanying products, retail goods, and food when attending performances by top artists.

BLACKPINK takes Hanoi by storm on first Born Pink night The most anticipated moment for the BLACKPINK fans in Vietnam officially took place at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on July 29 evening, with the K-pop girl group stepping onto the stage to thunderous cheers.

Over 3,000 int'l visitors come to Hanoi for BlackPink concert The Hanoi Department of Tourism on August 5 announced that out of 70,000 peopple flocking to Korean girl band Blackpink’s concert at the Hanoi-based My Dinh National Stadium on July 29 and 30, over 3,000 ones are international visitors.

Hanoi generates $26 million from BlackPink concert Hanoi is expected to continue to become a destination for international cultural, sports and tourism events after the success of the two Born Pink shows by world-famous K-pop girl group BlackPink on July 29-30.