Wednesday 19 January 2011
Would you consider Belfast as a music tourism destination?
Belfast's music scene is receiving high international recognition producing the likes of Snow Patrol, Ash, Van Morrison, The Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers etc. Recently there have been many developments in music tourism to celebrate Belfast's rich musical heritage. New initiatives such as the Belfast Music Tour, the Belfast Music Exhibition, the Belfast Music website and the world's first music iPhone app, have been introduced by Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. Do you see Belfast as a place that you would visit solely for musical reasons? Or would it be something that you would partake in as part of your visit?
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I think music wouldn't generally be a primary reason for visiting Belfast. However the more that is made of the music history to the tourists that are visiting at the minute the more prominent music will become in what attracts people to Northern Ireland.As word gets out and more people around the world become educated in what Northern Ireland has to offer in terms of music tourism.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Belfast is seen as a destination to visit solely for music reasons, but it will help to enhance the tourists experience when visiting the city. I think for Belfast to be considered a major music destination, there needs to be more headline events attracting visitors to the city, such as those initiatives already implemented by Belfast City Council and NITB, on a more regular basis.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't consider Belfast as a real music tourism destination. Although, perhaps the new initatives such as the website and the iPhone app will allow people to keep track of what's happening in regards to the music scene. I don't see Belfast as being a place that people would visit only for music reasons but music tourism is a significant magnet for both overseas and UK visitors.
ReplyDeleteI dont think Belfast is necessarily known for its music tourism. However when tourists are here it would probably play a major part in their experience of Belfast... music is everywere in Belfast and needs to be promoted to a wider audience as there are so many initiatives currently in place that celebrate the success of music in Belfast.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely an aspect of an overall visit. The acts you've mentioned are pretty widely spread over the last 40 years, there's a bit of context needed. I don't think Belfast is well known at all for music but I would imagine it forms a large part of someone's visit.
ReplyDeleteIt's a wide question though, I ran a concert here in 2009 and the majority of the audience were from outside Belfast; be it Derry/Newry, Dublin/Cork or the UK/Europe. Single music events can attract people from further afield, and the effect in aggregate must boost the local economy.
Perhaps in the future. There is a rich musical culture with the marching bands. Perhaps if music was given a bit more promotion it could become a lot more popular. Even people who have grown up in Belfast would need to have a greater knowledge of the music that is on offer in Belfast.
ReplyDeleteAs I am from the city, I havedifferent motivations for visiting but would definetly think of staying longer, visiting more oftne if I was aware of the possibility of interesting music during my stay.
ReplyDeleteI don't think music tourism would be the main reason for visiting Belfast. However, music tourism could be the reason that tourists would go to Belfast rather than other cities. Maybe in the future, music tourism could become the main reason why tourists visit Belfast.
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ReplyDeleteQuite possibly, though it depends on what people are interested in and how fanatic they are about certain music. Some people would see Belfast as a great place to visit for the traditional bands played in bars such as mchughs, or for a major snow patrol concert. I know people who have come over from England just to see their fav band/artists play or visit the areas they've grown up in, or to enjoy the music played in the bands on the 12th. For me personally I have been to several cities just for a concert, I would also extend my visit if I knew something I liked was on, I guess that applys here too. Though saying that it depends on how far afield you were coming from. Ok well I think I may have confused myself more than helped you but that's my thoughts.
ReplyDeletei would never go to belfast for music. scared of terorism, bombs and too much rain too
ReplyDeleteI would tend to attend concerts if I was already visiting a city
ReplyDeletei dont think you would visit belfast purely for music reasons, i think it would be an added extra to do while you are already visiting
ReplyDeleteNot sure whether people would come to Belfast solely for the music. However, if the music was promoted in a more high profile way, it would enhance the visit for the tourists. Also, if Belfast could be known for at least one BIG concert every year,it might reach a wider audience
ReplyDeleteMusos will visit Belfast if the facilities are there. The City could strengthen links to the Irish music scene and develop its own unique identity based on Van Morrison, the Undertones, etc (showing my age) and if a fesival was created it could succeed
ReplyDeleteWhen I visit a place/city the second thing I look for is what music is on. I might not visit a place for the music but it certainly adds to the experience. There are many festivals running in Belfast throughout the year and possibly packages could be attached to these to give the tourist a great experience. People travel to Dublin for concerts so why not the other way around. Advertising and cheap flights could promote help!
ReplyDeleteI think that music would enhance a visit to Belfast.
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt visit solely for music reasons but depending on what was on offer might certainly indulge
ReplyDeleteI feel that there is not enough promotion for Music Tourism to allow it to develop to a point that people would come to Belfast solely for Musical purposes.
ReplyDeleteBeing from Belfast I find it difficult to answer this question with any objectivity and feel a better answer could be given by visitors to the city.
ReplyDeleteI think Belfast is quickly developing as a city rich in diversity with its activities and venues. I'm proud that there is so much to do here and I'd be surprised if tourists/visitors would come solely for music unless they were an avid music devotee.
i dont think i would visit belfast for musical reasons but thats perhaps because im not sure if i would visit anywhere because of musical reasons.
ReplyDeleteim sure it has places of interest for someone who has a liking for northern irish/irish musicians, and investment (say in establishing tours etc) would surely make visiting the area for these reasons more appealing. however belfast and northern ireland have never had an export as global as elvis or the beatles and so will never draw interest in this respect to a similar degree as memphis or liverpool. but nowhere would.
Music was not what first interested me in belfast, however attending the musical events on offer added to my Northern Ireland experience!
ReplyDeleteI dont think Belfast currently has the reputation of being solely a music destination. It does not have year round appeal. I do agree that it definitely enhances a visit to Belfast but would not be the primary reason for going. I think trying to develop it solely for music tourism would be unrealistic. I think belfast would be able to promote itself domestically as a music destination in the UK
ReplyDeleteI don't think that music is the sole or main reason for visiting a city. However when we have friends coming to stay with us in Belfast or when we visit other cities we check what bands are playing.
ReplyDeleteI live in Belfast, but don't think that we have gigs that are "special" enough to entice visitors. However with Queens Festival, Out to Lunch, CQAF, Nashville belfast festival, etc - I think Belfast can bid to be a city encouraging visitors for the week/weekend that festivals are on.
ReplyDeleteI would if Belfast could successfully do 2 things:
ReplyDelete1. Attract it's big names back to perform at regular intervals - say at an annual festival - Van Morrison, Snow Patrol, Stiff Little Fingers - I would travel to Belfast to see all these performers. They should support where they came from.
2. Continue to develop and promote fresh talent.
Perhaps not at the minute but there is potential and as the music scene on belfast develops it may become a place people would visit for its music, although i think this depends largely on the festivals that are organised, i think it would have to be something pretty big for people to visit solely for music
ReplyDeletekate said I feel that Belfast could have the potential to attract people to visit the city for its music which could be another attraction to add to our appeal as a city break (good restuarants, cathedral quarter, titanic quarter). The appeal of Irish music has always been an attraction to visitors especially the Americans. The key would be to publicise events, attractions which I feel we are not great at.
ReplyDeleteI live close to Belfast so I would visit with the purpose of seeing local bands play. If I lived further away I probably wouldn't make the effort to visit Belfast solely for musical reasons, unless it was for a music festival or some big event.
ReplyDeleteGreat venues, large and small. Personally I don't go to many concerts at large venues, but there are so many interesting gigs at small cheaper venues I could be out nearly every night of the week in Belfast.
ReplyDeleteI like small venues were the atmosphere together with the welcoming of N. Ireland people makes for a great night for both visitors and locals alike
ReplyDeleteI would consider Belfast as a viable music venue - both as part of a visit and as the main reason for a visit. I'd say people already do this by coming for the Belfast Festival at Queen's.
ReplyDeleteI guess it wouldnt come in my head as being a music tourism destination - we are not Nashville but I think music is a big part of the city and growing and also with the MTV awards coming will help.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think music could potentially be a great way to entice tourists, I don't think it would be the principal reason for trips to Belfast. However, it could certainly add to the city's other attractions.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it would never be my first reason for visiting a city it could certainly help influence where i would choose to go. Music can only last for so long and you need to have some other reason for many return visits
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that Belfast has never been a place that people would travel far distance to for music, tourists would come to belfast to see mainly the city hall and some of the old bars such as the crown bar and so on.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I don't think tourists, other than "die hard" fans of a particular band, would come especially to Belfast for its musical history. This may change in the future if more investment was made to encourage the wealth of local talent.
ReplyDelete