Town Hall and Symphony Hall play important role in boosting music tourism
BIRMINGHAM’S Town Hall and Symphony Hall have played a crucial role in helping to develop the West Midlands’ music tourism offering, their chief executive has said.
The importance of music tourism to the region’s economy was highlighted in the recent Wish You Were Here report compiled by UK Music which identified that concert goers were responsible for a £119m boost to the West Midlands.
Andrew Jowett, Chief Executive Town Hall & Symphony Hall Birmingham, said he welcomed the report’s findings.
“Music tourism in the West Midlands is worth a staggering £119m to the region’s economy; almost 20% of the overall ‘music tourism’ expenditure in the UK,” he said.
“As one of the leading UK music organisations and part of the cultural fabric of Birmingham we value the huge economic benefit that music fans bring to us and the many partners we work with across the region – whether emerging ensembles, independent promoters, hotels, restaurants, major arenas or international artists.
“We’re proud to be at the forefront of cultural life in the city working with thousands of incredible music creatives regionally, nationally and abroad to continue to raise the profile of Birmingham as a major destination for music tourists.”
The venues attract more than half a million visitors each year and almost 12,000 young people and over 6,000 local adults participate in musical activity at THSH each year.
THSH employs more than 500 local artists and 277 staff each year and the venues contribute more than £12m to the local economy (source: The Economic Impact of Classical Music, Audiences Central, 2006).
