China’s Hainan Province has announced its intention to become an “international performing arts capital”, in the latest step in the country’s re-emergence as one of the most important growth markets for the international live music business.

The city said it would invite one overseas artist to perform in the city every month, starting with Cardi B and Travis Scott. Earlier this week, Scott announced that he would perform at Hainan’s Sanya Stadium on 1 November on the international leg of his Circus Maximus tour.

During the 2010s the global entertainment business, including music and film, rushed to make headway in the once-closed economy. But a shift in the Governments’ views, as well as a long-delayed emergence from Covid restrictions, seemed to have set relationships back.

But now a rapid thaw seems to be underway, with China once again keen to stake its claim as a global entertainment hub and local authorities vying to attract international superstars.

“The local government seems to be willing to support [concerts] from a financial standpoint and also from a permitting standpoint,” Split Works’ Archie Hamilton told IQ last year. “Permits are obviously difficult to obtain in China and always have been. Given Hainan’s status as a SEZ, I think it wants to try and flex a bit of muscle and show that it can be different to the rest of the mainland.”

In the past six months alone, the world’s second-most populous nation has thrown open its doors to top-tier talent such as Ed Sheeran, John Legend, Green Day and even Kanye West.

Controversial rapper Ye was granted rare approval for two “listening parties” at the Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou, Hainan, last September. The sold-out stadium gigs, which drew 70,000 people, marked Ye’s first performances in the East Asian country in 16 years. Tickets were sold out in seconds on Chinese ticketing platforms.

“Haikou sees itself as being among the world’s unique performing arts cities with a highly open and inclusive attitude,” said Wang Ke, Hainan Province chief of tourism, culture, radio, film and television, during a government meeting.

“Haikou sees itself as being among the world’s unique performing arts cities with a highly open and inclusive attitude”

Unsurprisingly, China’s biggest city and global financial hub, Shanghai, also wants a bigger slice of the action.

It was reported earlier this month that Shanghai officials held preliminary talks with Taylor Swift about a potential concert in the capital this year.

Last year, advisers to the Shanghai government referred to superstars such as Swift as “walking GDP” because of their massive economic impact and called for restrictions on international performers to be relaxed to host more high-profile shows.

The counsellors’ office of the Shanghai municipal government said on its social media account last year that government departments should streamline approvals, visas, customs and other logistical challenges that limited the potential to attract top-tier talent.

Other cities have also been welcoming Western acts with open arms. Earlier this year, Green Day kicked off the Asia leg of the Saviors Tour Asia with a concert at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, marking their first performance in China in 15 years. Ed Sheeran brought his Mathematics (– +–=÷×) Tour to Hangzhou for six sell-out shows – his first visit to mainland China in a decade.

Meanwhile, American rock band One Republic recently wrapped up a China tour, performing not only in top-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai but also in cities like Hangzhou and Wuhan in Central China’s Hubei Province. They also made history as the first American band to perform during China’s Spring Festival Gala, the country’s biggest televised event.

Last month, Aurora completed a four-date tour of China, stopping in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.

Read more about China’s live music market in IQ’s Global Promoters Report, here.

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The Thailand government has revealed ambitions to become a ‘strong hub’ for international concerts and festivals.

Prime minister Srettha Thavisin said he wants to follow suit with Singapore’s reported exclusivity deal with Taylor Swift to make the island nation her only Eras tour stop in Southeast Asia.

The government plans to meet top record companies and promoters, such as Tero Entertainment, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, to investigate how the country can better facilitate such events for artists, crews and concertgoers.

Tourism and sports minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said investment in infrastructure might be necessary if the private sector agreed that it was essential for hosting events, such as a large-scale indoor concert hall, which Thailand still lacks.

“Before investing a fortune, we must understand the whole structure of the current market and clear existing obstacles to make our investment worthwhile,” she said. “Economic benefits are quite high, as we saw from the period during international concerts in Thailand this year. Daily arrivals shot up to 140,000 per day, from an average of 100,000 per day.”

“Before investing a fortune, we must understand the whole structure of the current market”

One concern about Thailand’s ability to host overseas concertgoers – who reportedly spend three times more than general tourists – is the public transport system, which does not extend to every neighbourhood in the city and results in taxi companies overcharging customers.

“All major venues have been facing such prolonged problems of overcharging,” said Chakkarin Aungpratip from BITEC Management, the operator of Bitec Hall.

Aungpratip believes that, aside from some infrastructure issues, Thailand stands among the top destinations for international tourists due to tourism attractions, Thai food, a wide range of accommodation and friendly LGBT+ laws.

Thailand isn’t the only Southeast Asian country that has reacted to Singapore’s deal with Taylor Swift. A lawmaker in the Philippines has criticised the island nation for the arrangement, urging the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to formally protest against the grant.

However, the rep acknowledged that the “policy worked” for Singapore but said the Philippines needed to improve its infrastructure to be able to host global superstars.

“In the long run, though, we need to step up our game,” he added.

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Japanese festival Fuji Rock is to welcome back international artists after two years of prohibitive Covid measures.

The Smash Corporation festival was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021, the promoter was forced to replace its typical international bill with a completely domestic line-up.

Attendees of last year’s event had to abide by an extensive list of prohibitions which included raising your voice, cheering, shouting, high-fiving and having ‘unnecessary conversations during the performances’.

Other international artists on the line-up include Dinosaur Jr, Syd, Arlo Parks, Black Pumas, Tom Misch and Mura Masa

This year will herald a return to form for the international festival, with a lineup led by headliners Jack White and Halsey, as well as Foals, Bonobo, Fontaines D.C. and more.

Other international artists on the line-up include Dinosaur Jr, Syd, Arlo Parks, Black Pumas, Tom Misch, Mura Masa, Hiatus Kaiyote, Superorganism, Japanese Breakfast, Snail Mail and more.

The 25th-anniversary event will take place at Fuji Rock’s longstanding home, Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture, from 29 to 31 July this year.

News of the line-up comes after Smash, along with a consortium of Japan-based international promoters, spent much of 2021 lobbying for the resumption of international touring in Japan.

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