The New Wave of Travel: Concert Tourism's Positive Impact on Vietnam's Tourism Industry

In recent times, international performances by renowned artists in Vietnam have sparked a new wave, stimulating both tourism and the local economy. The tourism industry should seize this opportunity to develop and establish a fresh tourism brand, leveraging the current trend in the industry.

After the pandemic, Southeast Asia has become a promised land for hosting concerts by many of the world's top stars and music bands. Singapore alone has attracted nearly 30 artists, including Taylor Swift, Coldplay, BTS, and Blackpink. Vietnam also joins the list, as it recently witnessed sold-out concerts by world-renowned music groups such as Blackpink and Westlife, with massive crowds of enthusiastic fans flocking to their performances in awe-inspiring numbers.

International Bands and Singers Boost Tourism Demand

The performance of Maroon 5 in Phu Quoc this December has created a buzz among music enthusiasts. The Maroon 5 will electrify the stage at the Phu Quoc United Centre in their inaugural showcase in Vietnam.

Prior to Maroon 5, in late November, there will also be events featuring the Westlife band in Ho Chi Minh City and legendary saxophonist Kenny G’s performance in Hanoi. Recently, Vietnam has hosted many famous singers and bands, such as Blackpink, Charlie Puth, HyunA, BoA, etc.

The presence of internationally acclaimed bands and singers in Vietnam has significantly enhanced the country's reputation in the global music market. This is attributed to the overall increased income of the population, economic development, and the growing musical taste of Vietnamese audiences, who are gaining exposure to the world. Event organizers meticulously study preferences and market trends, investing in more systematic event planning.

International stars visiting Vietnam contribute to the local economic development through increased tourism demand and service utilization. According to estimates from the Hanoi Department of Tourism, during the two days of Blackpink's concerts, over 170,000 tourists visited Hanoi, generating tourism revenue exceeding 600 billion VND. The number of air tickets to Hanoi increased tenfold during that period, and hotel bookings surged 2-3 times compared to normal days. Traveloka's data indicates that visitors to Hanoi for Blackpink's shows not only came from various provinces and cities in Vietnam but also included many from across Asia.

Travel platforms contribute to promoting emerging travel trends.

To contribute to the success of music events, we must highlight the role of travel platforms in promoting musical events and providing seamless experience for customers in exploring shows, purchasing concert tickets, booking flights, pre-booking accommodations, and other activities in the cities where the concert takes place. Today, customers can access travel platforms, select the necessary services, and create an entire travel experience with just a few “touches”.

Take the example of Maroon 5's mentioned concert, which officially went on sale on Traveloka on November 2nd under the campaign title "Chay cung Maroon 5". In addition to purchasing concert tickets, customers could also find various enticing travel solutions, such as complimentary airline tickets, hotel stays, and other travel activities products in Phu Quoc. Some attractive promotions such as a discount of up to 200K when booking new entertainment services in Phu Quoc (applies to new customers), or get a discount of up to 500K for booking from 1 bundle hotel & concert ticket, applied for all customers. Furthermore, Traveloka witnessed robust customer enthusiasm for the recent Maroon 5 concert in Vietnam, leading to the sale of approximately half of the tickets on the first day.

Iko Putera, CEO of Transport, Traveloka said: "Integrating the concert ticket booking feature with travel-related services is one of Traveloka's initiatives that exemplifies our modern approach and ability to adapt to the dynamic needs of our users. This service also showcases Traveloka's commitment to delivering comprehensive and seamless experiences through our technological readiness and extensive partner network in Vietnam. Furthermore, it also plays a significant role in fostering the growth of the Vietnam tourism industry and underscores our commitment to long-term operations in this promising Southeast Asian market.”

With such an interconnected ecosystem, it is evident that the performance industry cannot exist in isolation but must collaborate with other service providers to provide the utmost convenience for customers. Therefore, the tourism ecosystem, including government and local management agencies, event organising businesses, and tourism service providers, needs to collaborate to create comprehensive travel products. When customers choose to attend performances, they can combine sightseeing and shopping at various local venues and entertainment zones, accompanied by dining, accommodation, transportation, and more. Optimising these performances will bring substantial economic benefits to the localities.

As a travel platform, Traveloka, with its modern technology and continuous innovation, serves as a hub that brings together partners in the tourism ecosystem, offering convenience and a fresh experience for customers. Traveloka’s latest data has recorded a 10-fold increase in flight searches to Phu Quoc during Maroon 5’s concert ticket sales date compared to the previous month. In addition, the number of hotel check-ins in Phu Quoc during the concert period increased more than two-fold compared to the previous week.

International performances not only bring considerable economic benefits to localities but also contribute to promoting destinations. The sale of Maroon 5 tickets on the Traveloka platform aligns with the strategy of promoting Phu Quoc globally, contributing to sustainable tourism development in Phu Quoc. This aligns with the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Traveloka and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), signed in late October, aiming to enhance the travel experience for domestic and international tourists in Vietnam and promote local tourist destinations to domestic and international markets, especially in Southeast Asia.

Up until today, Traveloka has connected with local businesses (accommodation partners and Xperience service providers) on its platform in Vietnam and across SEA countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, reaching 45 million active users monthly. Specifically for Vietnam, we have a dedicated destination page focused on promoting Phu Quoc. Here, customers are able to explore personalised travel offerings to their preferences, ranging from flight options from and to Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, varied accommodations options including in Duong Dong Town area as the most popular island, and Xperience products such as Phu Quoc Scuba Diving, Northern Phu Quoc Day Tour, Vin Wonders Phu Quoc, Sun World Hon Thom, etc.

Without modern technology, customers would not receive such comprehensive suggestions and packaged experiences. This is a testament to how travel platforms like Traveloka have been and are actively supporting Vietnam's tourism industry in digital transformation and sustainable tourism development. Through its ever-innovating travel platform, Traveloka helps customers address common travel issues, providing a seamless and accessible travel experience, while also assisting business partners both domestically and internationally.

Clearly, international star performances are an attractive tourism product with vast potential for Vietnam. Grasping this trend and the collective efforts of tourism entities will genuinely place Vietnam on the map of regional and global performance music, concurrently driving sustainable local economic development.