19.07.2023: UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin outlines how London’s vibrant music scene is luring millions of music tourists to the capital and giving the economy a £2 billion shot in the arm.

Writing in City AM to coincide with the launch of UK Music’s Here, There and Everywhere report, Jamie talks about the huge importance of music in attracting 4.9 billion music tourists to London in 2022 for concerts, gigs and festivals.

Of those music tourists who came to the city, 500,000 came from overseas to festivals and our world-class venues like the O2 and the Royal Albert Hall. 4.4 million came from other parts of the UK to see artists including Dua Lipa, Sam Fender, Dave, George Ezra and Nick Cave.

Jamie said 13,200 jobs were supported by music tourism in London as he spelled out how, with the right support, music could help create more jobs and growth.

He said: “There are huge benefits to being a “music city” and every local area should want to capitalise on its musical potential. Our report outlines the actions local authorities can take – from using data and mapping, to regenerating empty spaces – to make their communities powerhouses of creativity.

“Music has the potential to rebuild our sense of place, especially at a time when offices are no longer the pull into the capital that they once were. With parts of London still seeing the lingering impact of remote working, music has huge potential in revitalising and re-energising our city and town centres. If we want to draw people back into our urban centres and re-establishing our sense of place and community, a thriving musical ecosystem is one of the most effective ways to do it.”

You can read Jamie’s full article here.