Sound Diplomacy, along with Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, Visit Franklin, and the Americana Music Triangle are proud to present Music Tourism Convention Franklin, to be held on Sept. 21st and 22nd at The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee. The two-day event will bring together executives from across the tourism industry; public, private and creative sectors to expand on the opportunities the music and tourism industry can gain from each other.
This event will carry on from the debates and discussions held earlier this year in Liverpool, which featured 200 delegates from 59 cities and six continents, with executive-led TEDx style talks and panels discussing the value of music on heritage tourism, destination marketing and audience development.
“Music is a universal language that speaks to the world and is a key component in the decision-making process of where many travelers decide to spend their vacations” says Ellie Westman Chin, President & CEO of Visit Franklin. By combining music and tourism, you create jobs, entice visits and put more ‘heads in beds.’ Music impacts hotel bookings, travel cost, food and drink and leisure. From artists to tour operators, destination marketers to music associations, music is a cost-effective tool to project, promote and diversify tourism offers, regardless of genre, locale or language. “Our mission at Visit Franklin is to share Franklin, Tennessee with the world, and we are excited to be partnering with an international leader like Sound Diplomacy to not only do that but also bring together so many other destinations to share ideas and learn from one another,” continues Chin.
Music tourism is booming globally. In the UK, for example, it is worth £3.7bn in direct and indirect spend, with over 9.5m travelling to the UK for music related festivals and events. In Nashville, the ‘Music City’ brand brings hundreds of thousands of people to the city while cities like Vienna, Salzburg, Moscow and Berlin all trade on their music heritage, from classical composers to modern DJs.
The two-day convention will focus on Music & Destination Marketing, Music & Travel, and Music Attractions. Attendees will also be working together to discuss various topics, and create TEDx style presentations and engaging, diverse panels. The final night will conclude with an official reception at Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. All attendees will also receive discounted weekend tickets to the festival.
Speakers for the Franklin Music Tourism Convention are:
Dawn Beaton, Artistic Director, Celtic Colours International Festival
Elizabeth Cawein, Founder, Music Export Memphis
Ellie Westman Chin, President & CEO, Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Mark Davyd, Founder & Chief Executive, Music Venue Trust
Jasen Emmons, Artistic Director, Museum of Pop Culture
Dr. Greg Hackler, Founding Board Member, Standin’ On The Corner Foundation
Judy Hood, President, Muscle Shoals Music Foundation
Wes Jackson, Executive Director, Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival
Julia Jones, CEO, Found In Music
Elliott Lefko, Vice President, Goldenvoice Concerts
Dr. Ken Moore, Mayor, City Of Franklin
Rob Naylor, Communications Director, AARP Tennessee
Enrico Nonino, Head of Marketing UK, Lastminute.com
Bubba O’Keefe, Developer & Contractor
Sonia Outlaw-Clark, Executive Director, Tina Turner Museum
Elizabeth Peterson-Gower, Founder & CEO, EPG
François Poulin, Communications and Interactive Media, Tourism Montréal
Rachel Skaggs, Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology, Vanderbilt University
Click here to purchase tickets for the Franklin Music Tourism Convention.
For more information about the Franklin Music Tourism Convention, visit www.musictourismconvention.com.
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