When people think about travel, they often view it as an escape from the ordinary. For some, it's a chance to break free from daily routines, step away from familiar surroundings, or find solitude in nature. For a growing number of travelers today, it’s more about connection and shared experiences. This shift is fueling the rise of live tourism, travel centered around live events and entertainment.
So, let’s break it down: What is live tourism, why does it matter, and how can destination marketing organizations (DMOs) tap into this growing stream of travel?
Live tourism is a travel trend focused on attending events, including concerts, music festivals, sporting tournaments, cultural performances, carnivals, live shows, and hands-on workshops.
While the idea itself isn’t new, it’s becoming more popular as travelers look for shared, real-time experiences that bring destinations to life. Instead of simply visiting landmarks, live tourism invites travelers to be part of the moment. Whether it’s cheering in a stadium, dancing at a festival, or learning a new craft, these experiences create deeper connections with a destination and the people around them.
Here are real-world examples that show just how popular and profitable live tourism is around the world:
In 2024 alone, sports and entertainment together brought in more than $600 billion worldwide. Music tourism is on the rise too, worth $6.5 billion in 2023 and set to more than double to $15.2 billion by 2033.
Coachella pumps more than $700 million into Southern California’s economy each year. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour generated an estimated $260 to $375 million for Singapore, boosting the country’s GDP by nearly 3%.
Sports are just as powerful. The 2023 NBA Cup added $53.1 million to Las Vegas, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to deliver more than $40.9 billion in GDP.
Big or small, these events don’t just entertain, they move economies.
Live tourism travelers plan their trips around a single event. Once that’s over, some may stick around to explore, but many are ready to move on unless they’re given compelling reasons to stay. That’s where you come in.
You’re already doing the important work of highlighting these events and promoting them to attract travelers to your destination. Expand on this by connecting the experience in a way that blends the excitement of the event with your destination's unique attractions and offerings. By highlighting what travelers can see, do, and experience beyond the event, you create memorable moments that turn visitors into lifelong fans, not just of the event they attended, but of your destination as a whole.
This first stage starts with engaging travelers planning to attend a specific event in your destination. The key here is early influence. Keep a pulse on upcoming events in your destination so you can position your city in front of potential attendees well before their plans are finalized. The early influence stage is a crucial window to capture interest and fuse your destination into the event narrative before travel plans are set.
During this step, focus on targeted marketing that presents your destination as a natural extension of the main event. Use compelling messaging, engaging visuals, and well-crafted content to highlight nearby attractions and local favorites that align with the interests and demographics of likely visitors. You are not only promoting the event but also shaping how travelers envision your destination as a part of their anticipated experience.
Consider messaging like this:
Your goal is to bundle marketing efforts into a seamless experience that naturally ties your destination’s offerings to the event. Build your messaging so that attending the event and experiencing the city are inseparable in the traveler’s mind.
At this stage, travelers have purchased their tickets and arrived at their destination. The focus now shifts to deepening their engagement by transforming them from event attendees into curious explorers of your destination. Use a mix of wayfinding tools and storytelling strategies, delivered through digital and physical signage, inviting visitors to explore vibrant neighborhoods, public art, markets, and historic sites.
Tap into first-party data to send personalized itineraries, reminders, and key messages that emphasize “Don’t forget to check out XYZ,” so they can discover more of what your destination has to offer.
Consider messaging like this:
These personalized touches transform your destination from merely a backdrop into a key part of the traveler’s story.
Once the event concludes and your guests have departed, turn their memorable experience into future visits and long-term loyalty. Make your guests feel valued by following up with thoughtful retargeting and personalized messaging. Reach out with a heartfelt thank-you and offer exclusive invitations to special experiences like a culinary tour, a new seasonal attraction, or a special welcome-back discount. Add extra touches such as member-only city perks or an explorer pass that gives guests new reasons to return, even when there isn’t a major event happening.
Sample follow-up messages could say:
Keep your destination top-of-mind by encouraging guests to share their own photos, videos, and stories from their visit. User-generated content (UGC) not only sparks authentic buzz but also gives you valuable insight into what experiences resonate most with your visitors.
How do you find these travelers early enough to influence their plans? That’s where Sojern comes in. We use real-time travel intent data and behavioral insights to help you find potential visitors right at the start of their journey, whether they’re searching for tickets to an event or exploring things to do in your destination.
DMOs that succeed in attracting these travelers do more than just serve as event venues. They shape every stage of the traveler’s journey, before, during, and after the event.
If you’re ready to transform your destination from being the backdrop of the next big event, get in touch with us.
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