Music tourism: Opportunities for international tourist attraction in Vietnam

Many internationally renowned musicians have chosen Vietnam as a stop on their tours in recent years. The concerts held in the country offer the tourism sector the opportunity to develop tours that combine music with culture and cuisine - unique products that captivate visitors. 

Destination for popular artists

Irish pop singer, songwriter and musician Kian Egan of the band Westlife on stage in Hanoi in late 2024. Photo: VOV

According to Future Market Insights, the global music tourism market is projected to be worth US$11.3 billion by 2032. In recent years, Vietnam has hosted a number of international concerts. In October 2024, the band "Arrival From Sweden" held "The Music of ABBA" tours in Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Ninh Binh, and Hanoi, engaging thousands of domestic and foreign audiences.

This is not the first time world-famous music acts have picked Vietnam for their world tours. In June 2024, 15,000 fans attended The Hits Tour concert in Hanoi to see the legendary Irish pop group Westlife.

Previously, South Korean girl band BlackPink held its two-night concerts in Hanoi in late July 2023, pulling in more than 170,000 visitors and helping the capital's tourism industry earn more than VND600 billion (US$23.5 million) - with the number of room bookings rising by as much as two to three times. According to Traveloka, visitors to Hanoi during the BlackPink show came not only from local provinces and cities but also from all over Asia.

Similarly, the 8Wonder music festival in Khanh Hoa province in July 2023, which featured global pop star Charlie Puth, also attracted a massive crowd.

Westlife is an Irish pop group known for their ballads, key changes, and dramatic entrances and exits. Photo: VOV

Chu Anh Hung, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Opera House, recognizes the benefits that international musical performances bring to local tourism. "Music tourism is a combination of enjoying recreational musical events with sightseeing and relaxation, which helps tourists relax and improve their spiritual life," he said.

Music shows held by international artists in Vietnam bring a large number of fans from around the world to watch their idols perform. At the same time, they can explore local specialties, culture, and people, and experience tourism activities such as dining and shopping. Thanks to such events, the number of tourists to relevant destinations and the development of local tourism services are boosted.

Specific policies required

Although music tourism is still a relatively new economic activity in Vietnam, it has paved the way for new related businesses, according to Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association. The success of various music events has made visiting Vietnam more attractive.

However, tourism experts and businesses agree that to develop music tourism, regulators need to have specific policies to encourage a handshake between event organizers and tourism businesses.

The Born Pink World Tour was the most successful concert tour by a K-pop girl group in 2024. Photo: Dan Tri Newspaper

Looking back on the Black Pink concert, Nhu Thi Ngan, CEO of Hanoi Tourism Investment JSC, admits that the company was informed of the event's schedule only shortly before it took place, so they were unable to buy tickets for tourists and could only benefit somewhat from transportation and accommodation services.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, Deputy General Director of Flamingo Holding Group, said many global music events can earn millions of dollars for the hosts and increase local tourism revenue. However, for them to become music tourism products, the shows need to have regularity, which requires long-term organizational plans, based on which tourism companies can design their related tours.

To develop this type of tourism, Pham Van Bay, Deputy Director of Viettravel's Hanoi branch, suggests that when the authorities issue licenses for popular musicians to perform in Vietnam, tour operators should be informed so that they can work with the organizers to reserve a certain number of tickets. This way, travel agencies will be able to offer tours combined with music.

The singers of the band Arrival From Sweden. Photo: MultiMedia JSC

Dr. Pham Hong Long, Head of the Faculty of Tourism Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, to harness music tourism, regulators need to have policies such as legal support or tax reduction for activities related to organizing music events.

In addition, to appeal to international visitors, it's necessary to invest in designing high-quality music programs while diversifying music events by regularly holding music festivals that feature many different genres, from folk to classical to modern, to serve a variety of audiences.

In addition, famous artists from home and abroad should be invited to enhance the appeal of the events. Meanwhile, music tourism should be combined with cultural tourism or food tourism to enrich the travel experiences.

Cao Thi Ngoc Lan, Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association, agrees, noting that in addition to tapping the domestic market, it's important for Vietnam to focus on attracting global stars and becoming a stage for major artistic events. "To see their idols in person, tourists often do not hesitate to dig deep into their wallets - not only for services surrounding the show but also for retail products and accompanying food," she stressed.