Music tourism, a growing sector, is in the spotlight more than ever after Puerto Rico’s tourism and economic boom following Bad Bunny’s residency.
The ripple effects were among the topics of discussion during the annual Music Tourism Convention, which has been taking place for a decade and, for the first time, was held in the Caribbean, specifically on the island of Anguilla from Nov. 4 to 7.
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Governmental delegates, entrepreneurs and businesses from Canada, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Barbados, Saint Vincent, St. Maarten, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, the Grenadines, the Virgin Islands, Panama, and the Dominican Republic traveled to this British territory known for its pristine beaches, with the aim of sharing and exchanging ideas about the development of events and how to maximize entertainment resources.
The great success of Bad Bunny in attracting tourists to Puerto Rico and boosting the island’s economy sparked interest among neighboring countries and brought to mind Jamaica, which at one point did something similar with the Marley dynasty.
Although local summer carnivals and festivals attract tourists to the Caribbean, the rest of the year remains underutilized.
“The cultural heritage of the Caribbean is very extensive, but it has not been utilized as it should be,” explained Davon Carty, CEO of Anguilla Music Production and Publishing, speaking about the host island, during one of the panels. “We have great musicians on the island besides our legendary star, Bankie Banks, so we want to showcase them to the world,” he added.
Another important point discussed by attendees was the need to not only rely on their international stars to promote and publicize their territories but also to make venues and public spaces available to interested artists, equipped with the facilities needed for their performances or content creation.
“In Miami, it seems like everything is Latin music, but it’s not; we have many more musical movements that we want to promote,” explained Connie Kinnard, senior vp of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We want to broaden the musical horizon. For example, electronic music, which is very strong,” she added. Meanwhile, John Copeland, director of arts and cultural tourism in Miami, spoke about various attractions that can be offered to tourists. “Now in Miami, we have tours to places where music videos have been filmed. Not just the homes of celebrities are attractive; there’s so much to show people,” he said.
From Canada, Allegra Swanson of Music Nova Scotia, a territory where the renowned Juno Awards take place, shared advice based on her experience: “Hosting an awards ceremony definitely boosts tourism and the economic development of a place, but it also allows talents to be showcased and important partnerships with sponsors to be formed,” she said.
From Saudi Arabia, Hala Alhedeithy, general manager of strategies at the Saudi Music Commission, led another interesting panel in which she spoke about integrating local talent into important activities in cities like Riyadh, where efforts are underway to make it an attractive destination. Lastly, Mexican Pablo Borchi Klapp, director of events and sponsorships at Sound Diplomacy — a company that not only produces the convention but also provides consultancy on the economic and social value of creative industries — shared his experience in organizing tours for tourists with a musical emphasis, which include visits to restaurants and venues showcasing various types of music.
In 2026, Sound Diplomacy will produce the Music Cities Conventions in Kingston upon Hull in the United Kingdom and in Alberta, Canada.
