Bill to boost US music tourism nears approval

A bipartisan bill which aims to bolster live music tourism in the US has passed through the House of Representatives, and now awaits approval from President Trump.

Known as the American Music Tourism Act, the bill directs the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) of the Department of Commerce to “promote tourism to music-related and sports attractions”.

It also requires NTTO to promote domestic and international travel and tourism to U.S. music festivals, concert venues, and other music-related attractions and locations, and expands NTTO’s current mandate to facilitate sports and recreation events and activities to include the promotion of international travel and tourism to such activities in the United States.

NTTO must also report its activities and findings to Congress within one year after the bill’s enactment and every two years after that.

“The American Music Tourism Act is a jobs bill”

The bill defines music tourism as the act of travelling to a state or locality to visit historic or modern day music-related attractions, including museums, studios, venues of all sizes, and other sites related to music.

It arrives at a time when the global live sector has recently seen a series of partnerships aimed at enhancing music tourism, including promoters striking deals with hotel chains, with some analysis suggesting the sub-sector could reach a value of $400.5bn by 2032.

The bill has received support from both Republicans and Democrats since its introduction in 2024, as well as endorsement from industry bodies including the National Music Publishers Association, Society of Composers and Lyricists, Live Nation, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), and the Recording Industry Association of America.

Speaking after the bill passed the House, NIVA executive director Stephen Parker said: “Independent venues and festivals are the lifeblood of local communities, not just as cultural hubs but as powerful engines of economic activity.”

“Fans travel for them. They book hotels, fill restaurants, and shop on Main Street because a show is happening that night. The American Music Tourism Act is a jobs bill. We are thrilled the House and Senate have prioritised driving domestic and foreign visitors to the nation’s music attractions and independent stages,” he added.

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