UN Tourism has partnered with UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle (UMHL), Universal Music Group’s entertainment-driven hospitality arm, and the Center for Music Ecosystems (CME) to harness the economic power of music tourism.
Announced during the UN Tourism General Assembly in Riyadh, the agreement aims to drive innovation, investments, and job creation across high-growth economies through the fusion of music and travel.
The Memorandum of Understanding positions creative industries as a catalyst for sustainable tourism and local development. By leveraging the global influence of music and entertainment figures, including UN Tourism Ambassador Khabane Lame, the partnership seeks to empower communities, expand entrepreneurship, and promote music as a driver of economic mobility.
Partnership to Unlock the Potential of Music Tourism
Tourism currently supports one in every nine jobs worldwide, while music tourism is projected to reach a value of $267 billion by 2030. Despite its growing promise, the sector remains underdeveloped, particularly in emerging markets. The new collaboration between UN Tourism, UMHL, and CME intends to close that gap by aligning research, investment, and policymaking to establish music tourism as a major pillar of local economic growth.
“Tourism is at its strongest when it amplifies creativity. By uniting the creative and tourism sectors, we can strengthen local capacity, unlock innovation, and ensure the benefits of culture and music reach communities everywhere,” said Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism.
Robert Lavia, CEO of UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle, said music has the power to “attract travelers, energize cities, and create opportunity.” He added: “UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle was founded on the idea that music has the power to shape economies and unite communities. By identifying and investing in cultural hubs around the world, we’re not just creating destinations, we’re amplifying the creative energy that drives tourism, inspires pride, and generates lasting economic impact.”
The Center for Music Ecosystems will issue a series of reports in the coming year exploring the impact and opportunities within music tourism. These findings will guide UMHL’s ongoing development of hotels and creative hubs across the world, offering data-driven tools for UN Tourism stakeholders to integrate music more strategically into their tourism models.
Through this initiative, CME expands its mission beyond broader music industry development to include music tourism as a key part of its framework for social and economic progress. The organization aims to build pathways, partnerships, and policies that leverage music to drive poverty reduction, job creation, and community resilience.
The collaboration aligns with UN Tourism’s commitment to promote tourism as a vehicle for inclusive growth and innovation. By connecting music and hospitality on a global scale, the initiative demonstrates how creative industries can serve as a bridge between cultural identity and sustainable economic opportunity.
