Combining tourism with music: Is there any greater challenge than that?

Ms. Hang Tran (28 years old, Hanoi) currently works in the media industry. This year, she has participated in 6 music-themed tourism programs. The most recent program she attended was a concert by singer Ung Hoang Phuc at the "Music Night on the Pine Tree" stage in Ha Long City. This was also the first time in his 20-year career that the male singer performed in this beautiful coastal city.

"Before, I never thought about spending money to attend concerts outside of my hometown because the cost would be significantly higher. But now I think differently. I attend some shows and then plan additional trips to optimize costs. The feeling I get from these concerts combined with travel is very worthwhile, as I get to enjoy nature and directly listen to and interact with the singers," Hang shared about her new hobby.

Music in tourism used to be like a biscuit in afternoon tea, adding a unique and complete experience for tourists. Now, music is gradually becoming a key element in cultural tourism, attracting many people to explore new lands to meet their idols. However, alongside professional artistic programs, shortcomings still exist, causing difficulties for audiences.

Ms. Dien (Hanoi) is a busy businesswoman managing a beauty care business. She shared: “When traveling, I usually pay attention to the unique experiences at the destination. Before, resorts only had water shows and soft music, which weren't attractive enough, but now there are many truly high-quality art programs. Like the "Memories of Hoi An" program, the program by musician Duc Tri at Cu Lan village in Da Lat, and programs in Yen Bai... Many professional programs are specifically designed for high-income customers who are willing to pay for unique experiences.”

Recently, Ms. Dien became interested in the art program featuring singer Ha Anh Tuan and Japanese artist Kitaro, which will be held at the Hoa Lu ancient capital site in Ninh Binh. However, due to the limited number of tickets, the scarcity of tickets, the unprofessional distribution channels, and the fear of buying counterfeit tickets, she has lost much of her enthusiasm.

Many audience members who purchased advance tickets, despite paying, did not receive their tickets from the organizers. The organizer, Viet Vision, along with the Storii platform, has issued announcements to address this issue. On December 26th, tickets officially went on sale through the Ticketbox platform and sold out quickly within just four hours.

Ms. Dien also shared her difficulties: “Organizers of many programs often only distribute tickets for a short period, with a limited number of tickets. In addition, intermediary agencies will resell tickets, adding their own vacation packages to increase the price. This is just their business practice, but it also causes considerable difficulties for the audience.”

Ticket prices for concerts currently vary considerably. Tickets typically range from a minimum of 250,000 VND to a maximum of around 5,000,000 VND. This has led to the emergence of ticket scalping, counterfeit tickets, limited ticket sales, and bundled ticket purchases aimed at making illicit profits.

Mr. Vo Hoang Viet, representative of May Lang Thang, a pioneering organization in combining tourism with music, also shared his thoughts on this matter: "At the end of this year, May Lang Thang will also organize two programs in Da Lat for about 1,000 guests and one program for 500 guests in Da Nang. To avoid the sale of counterfeit tickets or ticket scalping, the organizing unit needs to cooperate closely and long-term with tour providers so that customers can easily buy tickets to see their idols while combining accommodation and sightseeing. At the same time, information should be clearly shared on the official website and fanpage."

According to the financial firm Future Market Insights, the music tourism market was valued at US$5.5 billion globally in 2022 and is projected to reach US$11.3 billion by 2032. It's a lucrative segment that no tourism provider wants to miss out on.

"I think the most challenging aspect of developing a service model that combines music is creating a habit among tourists, so they are willing to pay for the product. Da Lat aims to become a music city next year. Tourists will not only come for the beautiful natural scenery and mild climate, but also for high-quality, civilized, and culturally rich music tourism products," a representative from May Lang Thang further shared.

According to statistics, Vietnam only welcomed 3,661 thousand (3.6 million) international visitors. Cultural tourism, including music, is expected to be the next spearhead to help us surpass Thailand or Malaysia, countries that have already reached the 10 million visitor mark. In the future, with quality products, tourists can absolutely choose Vietnam as a destination for listening to music, sightseeing, and experiencing culture.

After a three-year hiatus, pianist Pho An My returned with the "Inspiration from Chieng Di" program and most recently, the "Listening to the Clouds on the Mountain" program in Chieng Di, Van Ho, Son La. These programs, deeply rooted in the culture of the Northwest mountains and the Mong people, combined with classical music, have delighted audiences.

“About three years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Chieng Di and saw a patch of sunlight that made the scenery incredibly beautiful. The climate was temperate and pleasant, so I decided to settle here. Initially, I hoped to create a space for artists to work, exhibit, and hold creative workshops. Later, I hoped to preserve the unique characteristics of the Northwest region and prevent urbanization. I also had to encourage the local people to wear traditional clothing, preserve traditional houses, and help bring tourists to the local markets to sell their products and increase their income. I hope tourists will return here because of the special characteristics of this place,” the female artist shared about her journey in developing the cultural tourism area.

Currently, each show by the female artist is still kept on a small scale of around 100 people. Audiences not only enjoy the music but also participate in local market activities, stay in homestays with locals, enjoy Northwestern Vietnamese cuisine, and experience trekking in the mountains surrounding Chiềng Đi. Most customers are very satisfied with this unique service.

Vu Ngoc Anh, also known by his stage name DJ Tobias, has participated in many music festivals around the world such as 808 Music Festival, Tomorrowland, and the Jakarta Warehouse Project. Later this year, he will also experience the Ravolution Music Festival in Ho Chi Minh City.

“I think Ravolution in Vietnam fully meets international standards. However, there is one minor drawback: it lacks sufficient space and facilities for people with disabilities. Otherwise, it's quite similar to other international music festivals I've attended. If we had more spacious, outdoor-style venues, we could certainly hope to organize Tomorrowland in the future,” the DJ shared.

To avoid being left behind in the tourism service race, organizations in Vietnam still have much work to do. But we have every right to hope that in the future, Vietnam will become a destination for music lovers. Because this time, those working in tourism are no longer alone; they have artists joining forces with them.

April