| At present, music tourism is yet to be clearly defined | | | | UK's live music scene continues to flourish. In all these |
| as a distinct area within the tourism industry and the | | | | famous destinations the effect of music tourism is to |
| United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) | | | | stimulate the local economy by drawing in large, |
| does not yet offer any guidelines to what | | | | often wealthy, audiences and with this comes a big |
| constitutes a music tourist. But what is clear, | | | | injection of cash into the local economy. |
| however, is that it is a growing subset of what is | | | | In a recent speech the Minister of Tourism for |
| becoming known as cultural tourism and that it has | | | | Ghana, Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah, proposed using |
| already become big business. | | | | Ghanaian music as the back bone to promote tourism |
| Music Tourism can apply to all genres of music from | | | | in the country. It is her belief that music can play a |
| Classical to Celtic and to all countries from Britain to | | | | vital role in promoting tourism as she believes the |
| the Balkans and to satisfy this growing demand a | | | | trend in tourism is moving away from mass tourism |
| music tourism industry is forming consisting of | | | | to niche tourism such as music tourism. But this in |
| specialist music tour operators and general tour | | | | turn raises questions. As the US turns its music |
| operators offering music tours. These tours are | | | | tourism locations into commercial theme parks and |
| pitched at people of all ages from all backgrounds | | | | European festivals get swamped by corporate |
| offering music holidays to inspiring and historic | | | | sponsorship, is it really possible to promote a 'niche' |
| locations mostly during summer period. | | | | music while still retaining an authentic experience? And |
| In the US, some cities are now basing their entire | | | | what will happen to Ghana's music if it becomes |
| tourist profile on their music heritage, particularly in | | | | tampered with for tourism? |
| the Deep South where locations such as Beale Street | | | | Given the enormous economic drive to develop in |
| and Graceland proudly boast their involvement in the | | | | countries such as Ghana, it appears that music |
| birth of rock 'n' roll. In Europe however, it is music | | | | tourism can definitely be expected to rise in |
| festivals that dominate with events such as | | | | prominence in the near future. |
| Glastonbury attracting enormous audiences as the | | | | |