MUMBAI, India, 11 September 2026: More than half of concertgoers in the Asia Pacific say attending a show grew their interest in the destination, and the latest YouGov data shows Thailand leads the way at 71%, as live music becomes one of the most powerful uncredited tourism drivers.
That is a key takeaway — live music has become one of Asia Pacific’s most powerful drivers of travel and tourism, says a new report from YouGov: Following the Music: APAC Concertgoers Report 2026.
The multi-market study, which surveys over 7,200 consumers across Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, suggests concert-going has moved firmly into the mainstream and that fans are increasingly willing to fly, drive and extend their holidays to chase the artists they love.
A ticket becomes a trip
Almost six in 10 concertgoers (59%) across the five markets have travelled specifically to see an artist perform, a figure that climbs to three in four (76%) in Thailand. For a large share of APAC’s live music audience, “going to a show” and “going away” have become the same decision.
Concerts are rewriting the wish-list
More than half of concertgoers (54%) across the five markets say attending a show made them more interested in the host city, rising to 71% in Thailand.
Furthermore, most concert travellers said they extend their visit by two to three days to explore the destination. This habit peaks in Singapore, where 59% of concert travellers build extra time into the trip specifically to see the city.
Once there, sightseeing tops the list of what fans do with that time, followed by eating out and shopping.
Interestingly, this isn’t fleeting curiosity: more than one in five Thai concertgoers (22%) say a show introduced them to a destination they’ve since gone back to visit, and roughly half (49%) say they now plan to return.
Indonesia shows a similar pattern, with half of concertgoers (50%) who discovered a new destination through a show now intending to revisit it.
Cost, not appetite, is the ceiling on how far this travel trend can go. Attendance intent is positive everywhere, with most consumers expecting to attend the same number of concerts or more over the next two years.
Cost is a barrier to concert attendance
Ticket prices and overall spend are cited as the biggest barrier to going further and more often. That’s especially pronounced in Singapore and Australia, suggesting the travel upside for tourism boards and promoters may be even bigger than current numbers show, if cost pressure eases.
“Live music in APAC has moved well past the show itself,” said YouGov APAC & MENA CEO Laura Robbie. “What started as a single ticket purchase increasingly shapes travel decisions, city discovery, and repeat visitation. For promoters, tourism boards, and brands, the question is no longer whether people will travel for music; it’s which market, which audience, and which moment to meet them in.”
The opportunity is strongest in Thailand and Indonesia, where fans show the highest appetite to discover a city through its music scene and return later as tourists, not just fans.
The opportunity is strongest in Thailand and Indonesia, where fans show the strongest appetite to discover a city through its music scene and return later as tourists, not just fans.
Download the full report here.
About the research
The data is based on YouGov Surveys conducted online between 16 and 21 July 2026 across Australia (n=1,082), Hong Kong (n=1,034), Indonesia (n=2,010), Singapore (n=1,130) and Thailand (n=2,020), weighted to be representative of adults aged 18+. Audiences are nationally representative in Australia and Singapore; those in Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand are representative of the online population. * Concertgoers are defined as those who have ever attended a concert or live music.
(Source: YouGov Surveys)
