Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in the next financial year to support music tourism in the UK.

VisitBritain research shows that in 2017, over 2.6m international visitors attended a live music event while visiting the UK, representing 7% of the total visitors received.

VisitEngland’s £45m Discover England Fund has promoted innovative bookable tourism products to international audiences, including music-related itineraries in the North West. VisitBritain continues to make use of the UK’s renowned cultural assets within its global marketing material.

Music sector organisations and tourism businesses have benefited from the unprecedented pan-economic measures that Government has put in place during COVID-19, including the VAT cut for tourism and hospitality activities, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, various grant and loan schemes, as well as business rates relief for the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors.

We will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support all aspects of the tourism and music sectors’ recovery from COVID-19.