“Quiet travel.” “Slow travel.” The list of new terms and trends in the travel industry is constantly expanding. Recently, another new concept has been circulating in the tourism media: the gig-trip.
As the summer of 2024 approaches and peak travel season approaches, expect to see more travelers outing themselves as tourists. But what exactly is a gig-trip and how does it work?
Below, travel experts break down the pros and cons of this trend.
What is a gig-trip?
“Concert travel is a new trend that has fans planning trips – often international – around the tour stops of their favorite artists,” said Lisa Chen, CEO of ToursByLocals. “This could be because they can’t get tickets to their home show, to save money, or simply to combine their love of travel and music into one adventure.”
While the concept of traveling across the country or the world to see a musical performance is hardly new, the concert experience is different from more familiar iterations—like the Deadhead subculture of living on the road to see the Grateful Dead perform so many times, as possible. In contrast, concert goers are usually fans who plan a vacation (or work) around a concert or two at a particular venue.
“In some cases, it’s cheaper to travel to another location to see a popular artist,” explained Phil Dengler, co-founder of travel website The Vacationer. “For example, Taylor Swift tickets are often very expensive in some cities, so you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars by flying to a city with lower prices. I personally flew from Philadelphia to Charleston a few years ago to see the Black Keys. Concert prices were much lower in Charleston and it gave me an excuse to explore the city for a few days.
The summer promises to bring plenty of Swift fans from the US to Europe, as many have found better ticket prices and availability in cities like Lyon, France, and Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
A 2023 survey by travel platform GetYourGuide found that 45% of Americans were inspired to choose a specific travel destination by an event or experience they heard was going to happen there, such as a concert. Recent data from a Skyscanner survey also found that 60% of Americans are willing to travel abroad to save money on music events, and 44% of U.S. travelers are willing to fly short-haul to see their favorite artists .
This interest in music-related tourism is perhaps not surprising in an age where pop culture travel trends such as “set jetting” have taken hold. Chen noted that ToursByLocals has had great success with tours tied to movies or TV shows that are filmed and/or set in various tourist destinations.
“Given the popularity of the concerts and the continued excitement around Eras touring internationally, we’ve actually recently launched a selection of London for Swifties Tours with Swift-inspired tours of some of London’s best boroughs,” she said.
What are the advantages?
“Gig tripping has many benefits,” said Madison Pietrowski, US Brand Director at GetYourGuide. “Not only will you be able to see your favorite artist live, but you’ll be immersed in a new city, possibly a major tourist destination, and you’ll be able to visit an iconic venue, such as the local sports stadium hosting the concert.”
Indeed, Gelsenkirchen may not have been on many US travelers’ radars before Taylor Swift announced her European tour dates, but this summer more Americans will be filling the impressive stadium of German soccer club Schalke 04.
“The benefits of traveling for a concert are that travelers broaden their horizons of destinations they want to visit, whether they’re traveling abroad because of the price of a local show, looking for a specific energy associated with the venue or a ‘surprise song,'” as we see with the Eras tour to Taylor Swift,” Chen said. “In addition, travelers are more likely to meet and connect with people with similar interests.”
Fans often organize meetups and local businesses plan events around big concerts, so there are opportunities for out-of-towners to maximize the experience. Many concert travelers also plan unrelated cultural activities, such as guided tours, meals at local restaurants, visits to historic sites, and even more off-the-beaten-path options.
“Concert travel is essentially travel for music concerts, but now we’re seeing people turn those trips into full vacations to get the most bang for their buck,” Pietrowski said.
And that’s all in addition to the benefit of potentially paying lower concert ticket prices or being able to see an artist who didn’t plan a tour stop in your hometown.
What are the disadvantages?
Despite the excitement and unique opportunities that come with concerts, this approach is not without its challenges.
“One of the downsides of concerts can be the large number of visitors a destination can experience during concerts,” Pietrowski noted.
As a result, accommodation and transportation costs to the area can skyrocket due to demand. Larger crowds, especially in destinations not used to so many visitors, can also be a problem.
“If you want to avoid the crowds, look for activities that take you to the main attractions after hours, or find small tours or classes with local guides that take you off the beaten path,” suggested Pietrowski.
Also consider exploring beyond the immediate vicinity of the concert.
“When there is an influx of travelers to a destination for a specific event, the area can become overcrowded and the destination as a whole can be neglected, with travelers missing out on local culture and history and instead focusing on the specific event and major tourist attractions,” Chen said .
The rise of concert travel can also affect unrelated travelers who wanted to visit a specific destination but unknowingly booked their trip at a time when the city would be overrun with an artist’s die-hard fans.
And of course, concerts aren’t always the best deal for the fans themselves.
“Disadvantages include higher overall costs,” Dengler said. “For example, there’s no point in saving a few hundred dollars on tickets if you’re wasting thousands of dollars on flights and accommodation. Before going to a concert, consider the cost of the concert, the cost of the plane ticket and the cost of accommodation. Do the math to see if it really makes financial sense.”
