tourism and entertainment industry

Entertainment behavior in the United States - statistics & facts

A shift in consumer entertainment choices, extra charges and ticket prices – curbing consumer entertainment, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Consumer spending on entertainment in the U.S. 2012-2022

Observed entertainment spending increase in the U.S. 2023, by type & generation

Cheaper types of entertainment chosen by consumers in the U.S. 2023

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Art & Culture

U.S. arts, entertainment, and recreation industry market size 2013-2023

Museums & Galleries

Museum industry market size in the U.S. 2022-2024

Revenue of the global entertainment and media market 2018-2027

Related topics

Recommended.

• Amusement and theme parks in the U.S.
• Theater and Broadway in the U.S.
• Art market in the United States
• Outdoor recreation in the U.S.
• Media usage in the United States

Recommended statistics

• Premium Statistic U.S. arts, entertainment, and recreation industry market size 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Categories of sources of entertainment considered essential by consumers U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Average number of sources of entertainment used by consumers U.S. 2022, by category
• Premium Statistic Share of entertainment screen time activities in the U.S 2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Main devices used for media and entertainment in the U.S. 2022, by age

Market size of the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry in the United States from 2013 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Categories of sources of entertainment considered essential by consumers U.S. 2022

Categories of sources of entertainment rated as must have by consumers in the United States as of October 2022

Average number of sources of entertainment used by consumers U.S. 2022, by category

Average number of sources of entertainment used by consumers in the United States as of March 2022, by category

Share of entertainment screen time activities in the U.S 2023, by age

Share of entertainment screen time spent on selected activities in United States as of December 2023, by age group

Main devices used for media and entertainment in the U.S. 2022, by age

Primary devices used for media and entertainment in the United States as of October 2022, by age group

Spending behavior

• Premium Statistic Consumer spending on entertainment in the U.S. 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Consumer spending on entertainment change in the U.S. 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Consumer spending on entertainment fees and admissions in the U.S. 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Change in consumer spend on entertainment fees and admissions in the U.S. 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Observed entertainment spending increase in the U.S. 2023, by type & generation
• Basic Statistic United States: leading consumer cutbacks on entertainment due to inflation 2022
• Premium Statistic Cheaper types of entertainment chosen by consumers in the U.S. 2023

Average consumer expenditures on entertainment in the United States from 2012 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)

Consumer spending on entertainment change in the U.S. 2012-2022

Growth in average consumer expenditures on entertainment in the United States from 2012 to 2022

Consumer spending on entertainment fees and admissions in the U.S. 2012-2022

Average consumer expenditures on entertainment fees and admissions in the United States from 2012 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)

Change in consumer spend on entertainment fees and admissions in the U.S. 2012-2022

Growth of average consumer expenditures on entertainment fees and admissions in the United States from 2012 to 2022 (in U.S. dollars)

Observed entertainment spending increase in the U.S. 2023, by type & generation

Share of adults whose monthly entertainment spending increased in the United States as of September 2023, by type and generation

United States: leading consumer cutbacks on entertainment due to inflation 2022

Share of consumers cutting back on entertainment spending due to inflation in the United States in 2022, by category

Alternative types of entertainment chosen to offset rising costs according to adults in the United States as of September 2023

Media entertainment

• Premium Statistic Average daily media use in the U.S. 2023, by medium
• Basic Statistic Media accessed weekly in the U.S. 2022, by generation
• Premium Statistic Share of respondents who multitask during media activities in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Consumer attitudes towards media & technology in the U.S. 2022, by user type
• Premium Statistic Most commonly forgotten media subscriptions in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Human- vs. AI-driven media content preference among U.S. adults 2023

Average daily media use in the U.S. 2023, by medium

Average daily media use in the United States in 3rd quarter of 2023, by medium (in hours.minutes)

Media accessed weekly in the U.S. 2022, by generation

Weekly media consumption in the United States in 2022, by generation

Share of respondents who multitask during media activities in the U.S. 2022

Media activities enjoyed by consumers while multitasking in the United States as of November 2022, by activity

Consumer attitudes towards media & technology in the U.S. 2022, by user type

Consumer attitudes towards media and technology in the United States as of November 2022, by user type

Most commonly forgotten media subscriptions in the U.S. 2022

Ranking of the most forgotten types of media subscriptions in the United States as of May 2022

Human- vs. AI-driven media content preference among U.S. adults 2023

Preference for human-driven vs. AI-driven media content according to adults in the United States as of February 2023

Live entertainment

• Premium Statistic Most expected types of live events according to adults in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Share of Americans who booked tickets for music events / concerts 2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Live music concert genres enjoyed by adults in the U.S. 2023
• Premium Statistic Attendance at music festivals among adults in the U.S. 2023
• Premium Statistic Virtual live music attendance in the U.S. 2021-2022
• Premium Statistic Most common sports to watch live in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Reasons for not going to sports events among NFL fans in the U.S. 2022

Most expected types of live events according to adults in the U.S. 2022

Leading types of live events highly anticipated by adults in the United States as of September 2022

Share of Americans who booked tickets for music events / concerts 2023, by age

Share of Americans who booked tickets for music events / concerts / festivals as of December 2023, by age

Live music concert genres enjoyed by adults in the U.S. 2023

Leading genres of music enjoyed during live concerts according to adults in the United States as of August 2023

Attendance at music festivals among adults in the U.S. 2023

Share of adults who have attended a music festival in the United States as of September 2023

Virtual live music attendance in the U.S. 2021-2022

Share of respondents who attended a virtual live music event in the United States in 2021-2022

Most common sports to watch live in the U.S. 2022

Most popular sporting events to attend live in the United States as of February 2022

Reasons for not going to sports events among NFL fans in the U.S. 2022

Reasons for not attending sporting events among NFL fans in the United States as of July 2022

Museums, art exhibits, theaters

• Premium Statistic Share of museum-goers visiting a museum in the U.S. 2020-2023, by frequency
• Premium Statistic Share of Americans who booked tickets for museums / art exhibitions 2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Favorite activities when visiting a museum in the U.S. 2017-2022
• Premium Statistic Share of Americans who booked tickets for theater / ballet / opera 2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Attendance at Broadway shows in New York 2006-2023, by category

Share of museum-goers visiting a museum in the U.S. 2020-2023, by frequency

Share of museum-goers visiting a museum in the previous year in the United States from 2020 to 2023, by frequency

Share of Americans who booked tickets for museums / art exhibitions 2023, by age

Share of Americans who booked tickets for museums / art exhibitions as of December 2023, by age

Favorite activities when visiting a museum in the U.S. 2017-2022

Preferred activities when visiting a museum in the United States in 2017 and 2022

Share of Americans who booked tickets for theater / ballet / opera 2023, by age

Share of Americans who booked tickets for theater / ballet / opera in the past 12 months as of December 2023, by age

Attendance at Broadway shows in New York 2006-2023, by category

Total attendance at Broadway shows in New York, United States from 2006 to 2023, by category (in 1,000s)

Amusement and theme parks

• Basic Statistic Visitation at leading amusement and theme parks in the U.S. 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Total attendance at waterparks in the U.S. 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Popularity of amusement parks in the United States Q3 2022
• Basic Statistic Popularity of amusement parks in the United States Q3 2022, by age
• Basic Statistic Popularity of amusement parks in the United States Q3 2022, by gender

Visitation at leading amusement and theme parks in the U.S. 2019-2022

Leading amusement and theme parks in the United States from 2019 to 2022, by attendance (in millions)

Total attendance at waterparks in the U.S. 2019-2022

Attendance at leading water parks in the United States from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Popularity of amusement parks in the United States Q3 2022

Popularity of amusement parks in the United States as of 3rd quarter 2022

Popularity of amusement parks in the United States Q3 2022, by age

Popularity of amusement parks in the United States as of 3rd quarter 2022, by generation

Popularity of amusement parks in the United States Q3 2022, by gender

Popularity of amusement parks in the United States as of 3rd quarter 2022, by gender

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Tourism’s Importance for Growth Highlighted in World Economic Outlook Report

• All Regions
• 10 Nov 2023

Tourism has again been identified as a key driver of economic recovery and growth in a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). With UNWTO data pointing to a return to 95% of pre-pandemic tourist numbers by the end of the year in the best case scenario, the IMF report outlines the positive impact the sector’s rapid recovery will have on certain economies worldwide.

According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO) Report , the global economy will grow an estimated 3.0% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024. While this is higher than previous forecasts, it is nevertheless below the 3.5% rate of growth recorded in 2022, pointing to the continued impacts of the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and from the cost-of-living crisis.

Tourism key sector for growth

The WEO report analyses economic growth in every global region, connecting performance with key sectors, including tourism. Notably, those economies with "large travel and tourism sectors" show strong economic resilience and robust levels of economic activity. More specifically, countries where tourism represents a high percentage of GDP   have recorded faster recovery from the impacts of the pandemic in comparison to economies where tourism is not a significant sector.

As the report Foreword notes: "Strong demand for services has supported service-oriented economies—including important tourism destinations such as France and Spain".

Looking Ahead

The latest outlook from the IMF comes on the back of UNWTO's most recent analysis of the prospects for tourism, at the global and regional levels. Pending the release of the November 2023 World Tourism Barometer , international tourism is on track to reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Prospects for September-December 2023 point to continued recovery, driven by the still pent-up demand and increased air connectivity particularly in Asia and the Pacific where recovery is still subdued.

Related links

• Download the News Release on PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
• IMF World Economic Outlook

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Related content, international tourism to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024, international tourism to end 2023 close to 90% of pre-p..., international tourism swiftly overcoming pandemic downturn, tourism on track for full recovery as new data shows st....

The future of tourism: Bridging the labor gap, enhancing customer experience

As travel resumes and builds momentum, it’s becoming clear that tourism is resilient—there is an enduring desire to travel. Against all odds, international tourism rebounded in 2022: visitor numbers to Europe and the Middle East climbed to around 80 percent of 2019 levels, and the Americas recovered about 65 percent of prepandemic visitors 1 “Tourism set to return to pre-pandemic levels in some regions in 2023,” United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), January 17, 2023. —a number made more significant because it was reached without travelers from China, which had the world’s largest outbound travel market before the pandemic. 2 “ Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel ,” McKinsey, May 9, 2023.

Recovery and growth are likely to continue. According to estimates from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80 to 95 percent of prepandemic levels depending on the extent of the economic slowdown, travel recovery in Asia–Pacific, and geopolitical tensions, among other factors. 3 “Tourism set to return to pre-pandemic levels in some regions in 2023,” United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), January 17, 2023. Similarly, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts that by the end of 2023, nearly half of the 185 countries in which the organization conducts research will have either recovered to prepandemic levels or be within 95 percent of full recovery. 4 “Global travel and tourism catapults into 2023 says WTTC,” World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), April 26, 2023.

Longer-term forecasts also point to optimism for the decade ahead. Travel and tourism GDP is predicted to grow, on average, at 5.8 percent a year between 2022 and 2032, outpacing the growth of the overall economy at an expected 2.7 percent a year. 5 Travel & Tourism economic impact 2022 , WTTC, August 2022.

So, is it all systems go for travel and tourism? Not really. The industry continues to face a prolonged and widespread labor shortage. After losing 62 million travel and tourism jobs in 2020, labor supply and demand remain out of balance. 6 “WTTC research reveals Travel & Tourism’s slow recovery is hitting jobs and growth worldwide,” World Travel & Tourism Council, October 6, 2021. Today, in the European Union, 11 percent of tourism jobs are likely to go unfilled; in the United States, that figure is 7 percent. 7 Travel & Tourism economic impact 2022 : Staff shortages, WTTC, August 2022.

There has been an exodus of tourism staff, particularly from customer-facing roles, to other sectors, and there is no sign that the industry will be able to bring all these people back. 8 Travel & Tourism economic impact 2022 : Staff shortages, WTTC, August 2022. Hotels, restaurants, cruises, airports, and airlines face staff shortages that can translate into operational, reputational, and financial difficulties. If unaddressed, these shortages may constrain the industry’s growth trajectory.

The current labor shortage may have its roots in factors related to the nature of work in the industry. Chronic workplace challenges, coupled with the effects of COVID-19, have culminated in an industry struggling to rebuild its workforce. Generally, tourism-related jobs are largely informal, partly due to high seasonality and weak regulation. And conditions such as excessively long working hours, low wages, a high turnover rate, and a lack of social protection tend to be most pronounced in an informal economy. Additionally, shift work, night work, and temporary or part-time employment are common in tourism.

The industry may need to revisit some fundamentals to build a far more sustainable future: either make the industry more attractive to talent (and put conditions in place to retain staff for longer periods) or improve products, services, and processes so that they complement existing staffing needs or solve existing pain points.

One solution could be to build a workforce with the mix of digital and interpersonal skills needed to keep up with travelers’ fast-changing requirements. The industry could make the most of available technology to provide customers with a digitally enhanced experience, resolve staff shortages, and improve working conditions.

Would you like to learn more about our Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice ?

Complementing concierges with chatbots.

The pace of technological change has redefined customer expectations. Technology-driven services are often at customers’ fingertips, with no queues or waiting times. By contrast, the airport and airline disruption widely reported in the press over the summer of 2022 points to customers not receiving this same level of digital innovation when traveling.

Imagine the following travel experience: it’s 2035 and you start your long-awaited honeymoon to a tropical island. A virtual tour operator and a destination travel specialist booked your trip for you; you connected via videoconference to make your plans. Your itinerary was chosen with the support of generative AI , which analyzed your preferences, recommended personalized travel packages, and made real-time adjustments based on your feedback.

Before leaving home, you check in online and QR code your luggage. You travel to the airport by self-driving cab. After dropping off your luggage at the self-service counter, you pass through security and the biometric check. You access the premier lounge with the QR code on the airline’s loyalty card and help yourself to a glass of wine and a sandwich. After your flight, a prebooked, self-driving cab takes you to the resort. No need to check in—that was completed online ahead of time (including picking your room and making sure that the hotel’s virtual concierge arranged for red roses and a bottle of champagne to be delivered).

While your luggage is brought to the room by a baggage robot, your personal digital concierge presents the honeymoon itinerary with all the requested bookings. For the romantic dinner on the first night, you order your food via the restaurant app on the table and settle the bill likewise. So far, you’ve had very little human interaction. But at dinner, the sommelier chats with you in person about the wine. The next day, your sightseeing is made easier by the hotel app and digital guide—and you don’t get lost! With the aid of holographic technology, the virtual tour guide brings historical figures to life and takes your sightseeing experience to a whole new level. Then, as arranged, a local citizen meets you and takes you to their home to enjoy a local family dinner. The trip is seamless, there are no holdups or snags.

This scenario features less human interaction than a traditional trip—but it flows smoothly due to the underlying technology. The human interactions that do take place are authentic, meaningful, and add a special touch to the experience. This may be a far-fetched example, but the essence of the scenario is clear: use technology to ease typical travel pain points such as queues, misunderstandings, or misinformation, and elevate the quality of human interaction.

Travel with less human interaction may be considered a disruptive idea, as many travelers rely on and enjoy the human connection, the “service with a smile.” This will always be the case, but perhaps the time is right to think about bringing a digital experience into the mix. The industry may not need to depend exclusively on human beings to serve its customers. Perhaps the future of travel is physical, but digitally enhanced (and with a smile!).

Digital solutions are on the rise and can help bridge the labor gap

Digital innovation is improving customer experience across multiple industries. Car-sharing apps have overcome service-counter waiting times and endless paperwork that travelers traditionally had to cope with when renting a car. The same applies to time-consuming hotel check-in, check-out, and payment processes that can annoy weary customers. These pain points can be removed. For instance, in China, the Huazhu Hotels Group installed self-check-in kiosks that enable guests to check in or out in under 30 seconds. 9 “Huazhu Group targets lifestyle market opportunities,” ChinaTravelNews, May 27, 2021.

Technology meets hospitality

In 2019, Alibaba opened its FlyZoo Hotel in Huangzhou, described as a “290-room ultra-modern boutique, where technology meets hospitality.” 1 “Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has a hotel run almost entirely by robots that can serve food and fetch toiletries—take a look inside,” Business Insider, October 21, 2019; “FlyZoo Hotel: The hotel of the future or just more technology hype?,” Hotel Technology News, March 2019. The hotel was the first of its kind that instead of relying on traditional check-in and key card processes, allowed guests to manage reservations and make payments entirely from a mobile app, to check-in using self-service kiosks, and enter their rooms using facial-recognition technology.

The hotel is run almost entirely by robots that serve food and fetch toiletries and other sundries as needed. Each guest room has a voice-activated smart assistant to help guests with a variety of tasks, from adjusting the temperature, lights, curtains, and the TV to playing music and answering simple questions about the hotel and surroundings.

The hotel was developed by the company’s online travel platform, Fliggy, in tandem with Alibaba’s AI Labs and Alibaba Cloud technology with the goal of “leveraging cutting-edge tech to help transform the hospitality industry, one that keeps the sector current with the digital era we’re living in,” according to the company.

Adoption of some digitally enhanced services was accelerated during the pandemic in the quest for safer, contactless solutions. During the Winter Olympics in Beijing, a restaurant designed to keep physical contact to a minimum used a track system on the ceiling to deliver meals directly from the kitchen to the table. 10 “This Beijing Winter Games restaurant uses ceiling-based tracks,” Trendhunter, January 26, 2022. Customers around the world have become familiar with restaurants using apps to display menus, take orders, and accept payment, as well as hotels using robots to deliver luggage and room service (see sidebar “Technology meets hospitality”). Similarly, theme parks, cinemas, stadiums, and concert halls are deploying digital solutions such as facial recognition to optimize entrance control. Shanghai Disneyland, for example, offers annual pass holders the option to choose facial recognition to facilitate park entry. 11 “Facial recognition park entry,” Shanghai Disney Resort website.

Automation and digitization can also free up staff from attending to repetitive functions that could be handled more efficiently via an app and instead reserve the human touch for roles where staff can add the most value. For instance, technology can help customer-facing staff to provide a more personalized service. By accessing data analytics, frontline staff can have guests’ details and preferences at their fingertips. A trainee can become an experienced concierge in a short time, with the help of technology.

Apps and in-room tech: Unused market potential

According to Skift Research calculations, total revenue generated by guest apps and in-room technology in 2019 was approximately $293 million, including proprietary apps by hotel brands as well as third-party vendors. 1 “Hotel tech benchmark: Guest-facing technology 2022,” Skift Research, November 2022. The relatively low market penetration rate of this kind of tech points to around $2.4 billion in untapped revenue potential (exhibit).

Even though guest-facing technology is available—the kind that can facilitate contactless interactions and offer travelers convenience and personalized service—the industry is only beginning to explore its potential. A report by Skift Research shows that the hotel industry, in particular, has not tapped into tech’s potential. Only 11 percent of hotels and 25 percent of hotel rooms worldwide are supported by a hotel app or use in-room technology, and only 3 percent of hotels offer keyless entry. 12 “Hotel tech benchmark: Guest-facing technology 2022,” Skift Research, November 2022. Of the five types of technology examined (guest apps and in-room tech; virtual concierge; guest messaging and chatbots; digital check-in and kiosks; and keyless entry), all have relatively low market-penetration rates (see sidebar “Apps and in-room tech: Unused market potential”).

While apps, digitization, and new technology may be the answer to offering better customer experience, there is also the possibility that tourism may face competition from technological advances, particularly virtual experiences. Museums, attractions, and historical sites can be made interactive and, in some cases, more lifelike, through AR/VR technology that can enhance the physical travel experience by reconstructing historical places or events.

Up until now, tourism, arguably, was one of a few sectors that could not easily be replaced by tech. It was not possible to replicate the physical experience of traveling to another place. With the emerging metaverse , this might change. Travelers could potentially enjoy an event or experience from their sofa without any logistical snags, and without the commitment to traveling to another country for any length of time. For example, Google offers virtual tours of the Pyramids of Meroë in Sudan via an immersive online experience available in a range of languages. 13 Mariam Khaled Dabboussi, “Step into the Meroë pyramids with Google,” Google, May 17, 2022. And a crypto banking group, The BCB Group, has created a metaverse city that includes representations of some of the most visited destinations in the world, such as the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty. According to BCB, the total cost of flights, transfers, and entry for all these landmarks would come to $7,600—while a virtual trip would cost just over $2. 14 “What impact can the Metaverse have on the travel industry?,” Middle East Economy, July 29, 2022.

The metaverse holds potential for business travel, too—the meeting, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector in particular. Participants could take part in activities in the same immersive space while connecting from anywhere, dramatically reducing travel, venue, catering, and other costs. 15 “ Tourism in the metaverse: Can travel go virtual? ,” McKinsey, May 4, 2023.

The allure and convenience of such digital experiences make offering seamless, customer-centric travel and tourism in the real world all the more pressing.

Three innovations to solve hotel staffing shortages

Is the future contactless.

Given the advances in technology, and the many digital innovations and applications that already exist, there is potential for businesses across the travel and tourism spectrum to cope with labor shortages while improving customer experience. Process automation and digitization can also add to process efficiency. Taken together, a combination of outsourcing, remote work, and digital solutions can help to retain existing staff and reduce dependency on roles that employers are struggling to fill (exhibit).

Depending on the customer service approach and direct contact need, we estimate that the travel and tourism industry would be able to cope with a structural labor shortage of around 10 to 15 percent in the long run by operating more flexibly and increasing digital and automated efficiency—while offering the remaining staff an improved total work package.

Outsourcing and remote work could also help resolve the labor shortage

While COVID-19 pushed organizations in a wide variety of sectors to embrace remote work, there are many hospitality roles that rely on direct physical services that cannot be performed remotely, such as laundry, cleaning, maintenance, and facility management. If faced with staff shortages, these roles could be outsourced to third-party professional service providers, and existing staff could be reskilled to take up new positions.

In McKinsey’s experience, the total service cost of this type of work in a typical hotel can make up 10 percent of total operating costs. Most often, these roles are not guest facing. A professional and digital-based solution might become an integrated part of a third-party service for hotels looking to outsource this type of work.

One of the lessons learned in the aftermath of COVID-19 is that many tourism employees moved to similar positions in other sectors because they were disillusioned by working conditions in the industry . Specialist multisector companies have been able to shuffle their staff away from tourism to other sectors that offer steady employment or more regular working hours compared with the long hours and seasonal nature of work in tourism.

The remaining travel and tourism staff may be looking for more flexibility or the option to work from home. This can be an effective solution for retaining employees. For example, a travel agent with specific destination expertise could work from home or be consulted on an needs basis.

In instances where remote work or outsourcing is not viable, there are other solutions that the hospitality industry can explore to improve operational effectiveness as well as employee satisfaction. A more agile staffing model  can better match available labor with peaks and troughs in daily, or even hourly, demand. This could involve combining similar roles or cross-training staff so that they can switch roles. Redesigned roles could potentially improve employee satisfaction by empowering staff to explore new career paths within the hotel’s operations. Combined roles build skills across disciplines—for example, supporting a housekeeper to train and become proficient in other maintenance areas, or a front-desk associate to build managerial skills.

Where management or ownership is shared across properties, roles could be staffed to cover a network of sites, rather than individual hotels. By applying a combination of these approaches, hotels could reduce the number of staff hours needed to keep operations running at the same standard. 16 “ Three innovations to solve hotel staffing shortages ,” McKinsey, April 3, 2023.

Taken together, operational adjustments combined with greater use of technology could provide the tourism industry with a way of overcoming staffing challenges and giving customers the seamless digitally enhanced experiences they expect in other aspects of daily life.

In an industry facing a labor shortage, there are opportunities for tech innovations that can help travel and tourism businesses do more with less, while ensuring that remaining staff are engaged and motivated to stay in the industry. For travelers, this could mean fewer friendly faces, but more meaningful experiences and interactions.

Urs Binggeli is a senior expert in McKinsey’s Zurich office, Zi Chen is a capabilities and insights specialist in the Shanghai office, Steffen Köpke is a capabilities and insights expert in the Düsseldorf office, and Jackey Yu is a partner in the Hong Kong office.

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Chapter 6. Entertainment

Donna Owens

Learning Objectives

• Describe the nature and function of activities and businesses that provide entertainment for tourists in Canada
• Identify tourism entertainment activities by their industry groups
• Identify various types of festivals and events and ways in which these are funded and organized
• Describe the MCIT (meetings, convention, and incentive travel) component and its economic impact
• Review various types of attractions including zoos and botanical gardens
• List components of cultural heritage tourism including museums, galleries, and heritage sites
• List other experiences including sport tourism, agritourism, wine tourism, and culinary tourism
• Identify key industry associations related to the tourism entertainment sector and understand their mandates and the resources they provide

When a traveller enters Canada, there’s a good chance he or she will be asked at the border, What is the nature of your trip? Whether the answer is for business, leisure, or visiting friends and relatives, there’s a possibility that a traveller will participate in some of the following activities (as listed in the Statistics Canada International Travel Survey):

• Attend a festival or fair, or other cultural events
• Visit a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, historic site, national park, museum, or art gallery
• Watch sports or participate in gaming

These activities fall under the realm of entertainment as it relates to tourism. Documenting every activity that could be on a tourist’s to-do list would be nearly impossible, for what one traveller would find entertaining, another may not. This chapter focuses on the major components of arts, entertainment, and attractions, including motion pictures, video exhibitions, and wineries, all activities listed under the North American Industry Classification System we learned about in Chapter 1.

Festivals and Events

Festival and Major Events Canada (FAME) released a report in 2009 detailing the economic impacts of the 15 largest festivals and events across Canada, which amounted to $750 million in tourist spending and another $300 million in local operational spending (Enigma Research Consultants, 2009). Let’s take a closer look at this segment of the sector.

The International Dictionary of Event Management defines a festival as a “public celebration that conveys, through a kaleidoscope of activities, certain meanings to participants and spectators” (Goldblatt, 2001, p. 78). Other definitions, including those used by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the European Union, highlight accessibility to the general public and short duration as key elements that define a festival.

Search “festivals in Canada” online and over 54 million results will appear. To define these activities in the context of tourism, we need to consider operations and marketing: in other words, we must answer the questions, Who are these activities aimed at? and Why are they being celebrated?

The broad nature of festivals has lead to the development of classification types. For instance, funding for the federal government’s Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program is available under three categories, depending on the type of festival:

• Local festivals funding is provided to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, artisans, or historical performers.
• Community anniversaries funding is provided to local groups for non-recurring local events and capital projects that commemorate an anniversary of 100 years (or greater, in increments of 25 years).
• Legacy funding is provided to community capital projects that commemorate a 100th anniversary (or greater, in increments of 25 years) of a significant local historical event or local historical personality.

In 2012-13, funds awarded to BC festivals ranged from $2,000 for the Nelson History Theatre Society’s Nelson Arts and Heritage Festival to $119,400 for the Vancouver International Film Festival (Government of Canada, 2014a).

Spotlight On: International Festivals and Events Association

Founded in 1956 as the Festival Manager’s Association, the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) supports professionals who produce and support celebrations for the benefit of their communities. Membership is required to access many of their resources. For more information, visit the International Festivals and Events Association website : www.ifea.com

Festivals and events in BC celebrate theatre dance, film, crafts, visual arts, and more. Just a few examples are Bard on the Beach, Vancouver International Improv Festival, Cornucopia, and the Cowichan Wine and Culinary Festival.

Spotlight On: Cornucopia, Whistler’s Celebration of Wine and Food

This festival is dubbed “the fall festival for the indulgent and the connoisseur.” It’s an 11-day showcase with seminars, tastings, gala events, and all things decadent. For more information, visit Cornucopia : http://whistlercornucopia.com

An event is a happening at a given place and time, usually of some importance, celebrating or commemorating a special occasion. To help broaden this simple definition, categories have been developed based on the scale of events. These categories, presented in Table 6.1 overlap and are not hard and fast, but help cover a range of events.

Events can be extremely complex projects, which is why, over time, the role of event planners has taken on greater importance. The development of education, training programs, and professional designations such as CMPs (Certified Meeting Planners), CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional), and CMM (Certificate in Meeting Management) has led to increased credibility in this business and demonstrates the importance of the sector to the economy. Furthermore, there are a variety of event management certifications and diplomas offered in BC that enable future event and festival planners to gain specific skills and knowledge within the sector.

Various tasks involved in event planning include:

• Conceptualizing/theming
• Logistics and planning
• Human resource management
• Marketing and public relations
• Budgeting and financial management
• Sponsorship procurement
• Management and evaluation

But events aren’t just for leisure visitors. In fact, the tourism industry has a long history of creating, hosting, and promoting events that draw business travellers. The next section explores meetings, conventions, and incentive travel , also known as MCIT .

Meetings, Conventions, and Incentive Travel (MCIT)

According to the Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada (BEICC), business events are big business. In 2012, they:

• Delivered at least $27 billion to Canada’s economy (1.5% of Canada’s GDP)
• Contributed $8.5 billion in taxes and service fees to all levels of government
• Created over 341,700 employment opportunities (average salary of over $50,000 per year)

The business events industry in Canada is as big as agriculture and forestry, and it provides nearly twice the number of jobs that telecommunications and utilities do (BEICC, 2014).

Take a Closer Look: BEICC Canadian Economic Impact Study  

To learn more about the impact of business events, watch the BEICC Canadian Economic Impact Study video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu6lcKF2iV4&feature=youtu.be

There are several types of business events. Conventions generally have very large attendance, and are held annually in different locations. They also often require a bidding process. Conferences have specific themes, and are held for smaller, focused groups. Trade shows/trade fairs can be stand-alone events, or adjoin a convention or conference. Finally, seminars, workshops, and retreats are examples of smaller-scale MCIT events.

Spotlight On: The Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada

The Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada (BEICC) is the national voice of the meetings and events industry in Canada, comprising organizations dedicated to the betterment and promotion of the meetings and events industry. For more information, visit the Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada website : http://beicc.com/

As meeting planners became more creative, meeting and convention delegates became more demanding about meeting sites. No longer are hotel meeting rooms and convention centres the only type of location used; non-traditional venues have adapted and become competitive in offering services for meeting planners. These include architectural spaces such as airplane hangars, warehouses, or rooftops and experiential venues such as aquariums, museums, and galleries (Colston, 2014).

Spotlight On: Meeting Professionals International

Meeting Professionals International (MPI), founded in 1972, is a membership-based professional development organization for meeting and event planners. For more information, visit the Meeting Professionals International website http://www.mpiweb.org or the Meeting Professionals International: BC Chapter website : http://www.mpibcchapter.com

Incentive Travel

For many people new to the travel industry, incentive travel is an unfamiliar concept. The Society of Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) has explained that incentive travel involves “motivational and performance improvement strategies of which travel is a key component” (2014). Unlike other types of business events, incentive travel is focused on fun, food, and other activities rather than education and work.

Sectors that use incentive travel include insurance, finance, technology, pharmaceutical, and auto manufacturers and dealers. The incentive travel market is extremely competitive and demanding. When rewarding high-performance staff, Fortune 500-type companies are looking for the most luxurious and unique travel experiences and products available.

Take a Closer Look: SITE Crystal Awards

SITE holds annual awards for the best in unique, memorable incentive experiences. In 2014, the winner for Most Effective Incentive/Marketing Campaign, “Toyota Dealer Incentive – Elegant Escapes”  was Aimia. To see the list of other winners, and for more information, visit the Site Crystal Awards : www.siteglobal.com/p/cm/ld/fid=181

Convention Centres

No discussion of business events would be complete without noting the importance of convention centres — very large venues that can host thousands of delegates.

Key success factors for convention venues include:

• Air access to the destination
• Quality hotels close to or adjacent to the venue
• Quality venue space
• Relative cost of the destination and venue
• Attractiveness of the destination

BC is home to a number of convention centres, including those in Kelowna, Nanaimo, Penticton, Prince George, and Victoria. The signature venue for the province is the Vancouver Convention Centre, which underwent a significant expansion prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Spotlight On: The Vancouver Convention Centre

The Vancouver Convention Centre is owned and managed by the BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), a Crown corporation, and staffed with 70 PavCo employees, six official suppliers, and a further workforce of 291 full-time equivalent jobs. With its unique “scratch kitchen” that uses fresh, local products, an extensive recycling program, and its legendary “green roof,” the centre is known for its beautiful views and commitment to sustainability. For more information, visit the Vancouver Convention Centre : www.vancouverconventioncentre.com

With an understanding of the scope of festivals and events, as well as examples of the venues that host them, let’s turn our attention to the diverse number of attractions that contribute to the tourism entertainment sector.

Attractions

Without attractions there would be no need for other tourism services. Indeed tourism as such would not exist if it were not for attractions. (Swarbrooke, 2002, p. 3)

When the Canadian Tourism Commission planned a survey of Canada’s tourist attractions in 1995, there was no official definition of tourist attractions. After consultation, federal, provincial, territorial, and industry stakeholders agreed on a working definition: “places whose main purpose is to allow public access for entertainment, interest, or education”  (Canadian Tourism Commission, 1998, p. 3).

Five major categories were established:

• Heritage attractions: focus on preserving and exhibiting objects, sites, and natural wonders of historical, cultural, and educational value (e.g., museums, art galleries, historic sites, botanical gardens, zoos, nature parks, conservation areas)
• Amusement/entertainment attractions: maintain and provide access to amusement or entertainment facilities (e.g., arcades; amusement, theme, and water parks)
• Recreational attractions: maintain and provide access to outdoor or indoor facilities where people can participate in sports and recreational activities (e.g., golf courses, skiing facilities, marinas, bowling centres)
• Commercial attractions: retail operations dealing in gifts, handcrafted goods, and souvenirs that actively market to tourists (e.g., craft stores listed in a tourist guide)
• Industrial attractions: deal mainly in agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing products that actively market to tourists (e.g., wineries, fish hatcheries, factories)

Although the data is two decades old (the survey was never repeated at a national level), the overall findings help to outline the importance of tourist attractions to Canada’s tourism industry. The 1995 survey found:

• Just over half (51%) of attractions charged admission (49% did not).
• Surveyed attractions saw 200 million visitors with 50% of volume  in the summer.
• The majority (80%) reported visits lasted under three hours.

Major revenue sources for attractions include admission, merchandising, food and beverage sales, parking, grants, and donations. Major expenses include staff, land, insurance, permits and fees, marketing, equipment, and buildings.

The rest of this chapter explores various types of attractions in more detail.

Cultural/Heritage Tourism

The phrase cultural/heritage tourism can be interpreted in many ways. The Canadian Tourism Commission has defined it as tourism “occurring when participation in a cultural or heritage activity is a significant factor for traveling. Cultural tourism includes performing arts (theatre, dance, and music), visual arts and crafts, festivals, museums and cultural centres, and historic sites and interpretive centres” (LinkBC, 2012).

Take a Closer Look: The First Government of Canada Survey of Heritage Institutions

In late 2014 the Department of Canadian Heritage released its Survey of Heritage Institutions, which provides aggregate financial and operating data to governments and cultural associations. It aims to gain a better understanding of not-for-profit heritage institutions in Canada in order to aid in the development of policies and the administration of programs. View the full version of the report at Government of Canada Survey of Heritage Institutions: 2011 [PDF] : www.pch.gc.ca/DAMAssetPub/DAM-verEval-audEval/STAGING/texte-text/2011_Heritage_Institutions_1414680089816_eng.pdf?WT.contentAuthority=6.0

A 2011 Government of Canada survey of heritage institutions found (2014b):

• Revenues for all heritage institutions in Canada exceeded $1.73 billion (65% of which was unearned revenues — grants, government funding, and donations)
• Sales in goods and services (gift shops, cafeterias, and other outlets) accounted for 37% of earned revenue, followed by admissions at 20%
• Three provinces — Ontario (44%), Quebec (25%), and Alberta (9%) — had the largest share of heritage institutions
• Approximately 48% of heritage institutions charged admission, and the average adult entry fee was $7

Volunteers at heritage institutions outnumbered paid staff by approximately three to one. Of the 128,000 workers in heritage institutions, approximately 96,000 were volunteers. The amount of time they donated (over six million hours) contributed to huge savings for institutions. These statistics indicate that volunteerism is a critical success factor for Canadian heritage institutions.

Overall attendance at heritage institutions totalled almost 45 million visits in 2011, with museums (21.5 million visits) being the most popular of all heritage institution types surveyed. There were also over 137 million online visits to all heritage institutions (captured for the first time in the history of the survey).

Performing Arts

Performing arts generally include theatre companies and dinner theatres, dance companies, musical groups, and artists and other performing arts companies. These activities and entities contribute to a destination’s tourist product offering and are usually considered an aspect of cultural tourism.

In 2011, the majority of small and medium-sized performing arts companies in Canada were profitable (86.3%). The average annual net profit was $28,300 (Government of Canada, 2014c).

British Columbia was home to 166 performing arts groups in 2012, and 103 of these were considered micro groups, indicating that this sector of the industry is dominated by small organizations with one to four employees.

Spotlight On: Made in BC

Made in BC: Dance On Tour is a not-for-profit organization committed to bringing touring dance performances, dance workshops, and other dance events to communities around British Columbia for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. Originally intended to showcase BC performers, it also brings touring groups from other regions to the province. For more information, visit  Made in BC : http://www.madeinbc.org

Art Museums and Galleries

Art museums and galleries may be public, private, or commercial. According to the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization (CAMDO, 2014), both art museums and public galleries present works of art to the public, exhibiting a diverse range of art from more well-known artists to emerging artists. Exhibitions are assembled and organized by a curator who oversees the installation of the works in the gallery space. However, art museums and public galleries have different mandates, and therefore offer different visitor experiences.

Art museums collect historical and modern works of art for educational purposes and to preserve them for future generations.  Public galleries, on the other hand, do not generally collect or conserve works of art. Rather, they focus on exhibitions of contemporary works as well as on programs of lectures, publications, and other events.

A few examples of the art museums and public galleries in BC are the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Two Rivers Gallery in Prince George, and the Kelowna Art Gallery.

Many of the smaller galleries have formed partnerships within geographic regions to share marketing resources and increase visitor appeal. One example includes the self-guided Art Route Tour in Haida Gwaii.

The term museum covers a wide range of institutions from wax museums to sports halls of fame. No matter what type of museum it is, many are now asking if museums are still relevant in today’s high-tech world. In response, museums are using new technology to expand the visitor experience. One example is the Royal BC Museum, which hosts an online Learning Portal, lists recent related tweets on its home page, and is home to an IMAX theatre playing IMAX movies that relate to the museum exhibits.

Spotlight On: Canadian Museums Association

The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is the national organization for the advancement of Canada’s museum community. The CMA works for the recognition, growth, and stability of the sector. Canada’s 2,500 museums and related institutions preserve Canada’s collective memory, shape national identity, and promote tolerance and understanding. For more information, visit the Canadian Museums Association : www.museums.ca

Data from the 2011 Survey of Heritage Institutions in Canada found that attendance at heritage institutions totalled almost 45 million visits, with museums (21.5 million visits) being the most popular.

Spotlight On: British Columbia Museums Association

Founded in 1957 and incorporated in 1966, the British Columbia Museums Association (BCMA) provides a unified voice for the institutions, trustees, professional staff, and volunteers of the BC museum and gallery community. For more information, visit the British Columbia Museums Association : http://museumsassn.bc.ca

British Columbia is home to over 200 museums, including Vancouver’s Museum of Anthropology and Victoria’s Royal BC Museum, both with impressive displays of Aboriginal art and culture. Smaller community museums include the Fraser River Discovery Centre in New Westminster, and the Zeballos Heritage Museum.

Botanical Gardens

A  botanical garden is a garden that displays native and non-native plants and trees. It conducts educational, research, and public information programs that enhance public understanding and appreciation of plants, trees, and gardening (Canadensis, 2014).

Canadian botanical gardens host an estimated 4.5 million visitors per year and are important science and educational facilities, providing leadership in plant conservation and public education (Botanic Gardens Convervation International, 2014). British Columbia is home to notable botanical gardens such as Vancouver’s Stanley Park, the Butchart Gardens near Victoria, UBC’s Botanical Garden, and VanDusen Botanical Garden, to name just a few.

Zoos all over the world are facing many challenges. A recent article in The Atlantic — whose title poses the question, “Is the Future of Zoos No Zoos at All?” — discusses how the increased use of technology by biologists, such as habitat cameras (nest cams, bear den cams), GPS trackers, and live web feeds of natural behaviours, has transformed the zoo experience into “reality – zoo tv” (Wald, 2014). There is also growing opposition to zoos from organizations such as PETA, who claim that zoo enclosures deprive animals of the opportunity to meet their basic needs and develop relationships (PETA, 2014).

Spotlight On: Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums

Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) was founded in 1975.  It represents the 33 leading zoological parks and aquariums in Canada and promotes the welfare of, and encourages the advancement and improvement of, related animal exhibits in Canada as humane agencies of recreation, education, conservation, and science. For more information, visit Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums : www.caza.ca

Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) work in support of ethical and responsible facilities. Examples of CAZA members in BC include the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops, the Greater Vancouver Zoo, Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge near Golden, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre in Sidney, and the Vancouver Aquarium (Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, 2014).

Canadian zoos with high attendance levels include the Toronto Zoo with over 1.3 million guests in 2010 (Toronto Zoo, 2010), and the Vancouver Aquarium with over 1 million visitors in 2013 (Vancouver Aquarium 2013). In 2013, the Calgary Zoo employed almost 300 full- and part-time staff and an additional 99 seasonal employees (Calgary Zoo, 2013).

Amusement and Theme Parks

While cultural and heritage attractions strive to present information based on historic and evolving cultures and facts, amusement parks are attractions that often work to create alternate, fanciful realities. Theme parks have a long history dating back to the 1500s in Europe, and have evolved ever since. Today, it is hard not to try to compare any amusement park destination to Disneyland and Disney World. Opened in 1955 in sunny California, Disneyland set the standard for theme parks. The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver is considered one of BC’s most recognizable amusement parks and recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary (PNE, 2015).

Canada’s ability to compete with US theme parks is hampered by our climate. With a much shorter summer season, the ability to attract investment in order to sustain large-scale entertainment complexes is limited, as is the market for these attractions. It’s no wonder that in 2011 profitable Canadian amusement parks only saw an average net profit of $73,200, with 34% of firms failing to turn a profit that year. BC has only 22 amusement parks, and more than half of these are considered small, with under 100 employees (Government of Canada, 2014d).

Spotlight On: International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) is the largest international trade association for permanently situated amusement facilities worldwide. Dedicated to the preservation and prosperity of the amusement industry, it represents more than 4,300 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 97 countries, including most amusement parks and attractions in the United States. For more information, visit the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions website : www.iaapa.org

Motion Picture and Video Exhibitions

The film industry in Canada, and particularly in BC, has gained international recognition in part through events such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Montreal World Film Festival, and Vancouver International Film Festival. According to the Motion Picture Association — Canada (2013) these festivals attracted an estimated audience of 1.9 million in 2011, as well as over 18,000 industry delegates. Festival operations, visitor spending, and delegate spending combined totalled $163 million that year and generated 2,000 jobs (full-time equivalents).

There are no statistics available on film-induced tourism in Canada, but several notable feature films and television series have been shot here and have drawn loyal fans to production locations. In BC, some of these titles include Reindeer Games and Double Jeopardy (Prince George), Roxanne (Nelson), The Pledge (Fraser Canyon), Battlestar Galactica (Kamloops), The Twilight Saga , Smallville , and Supernatural (Greater Vancouver).

Spotlight On: The Whistler Film Festival

Founded in 2001, the Whistler Film Festival has grown to become one of Canada’s premier events for promoting the development of Western Canada’s film industry and an emerging venue in the international circuit. The festival, held during the first weekend in December, attracts an audience of over 8,200 and more than 500 industry delegates to the ski resort of Whistler, British Columbia, for seminars, special events, and the screening of over 80 independent films from Canada and around the world. For more information, visit the Whistler Film Festival : www.whistlerfilmfestival.com

Spectator Sports and Sport Tourism

Spectator sports and the growing field of sport tourism also contribute significantly to the economy and have become a major part of the tourism industry. According to the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (2013), sport tourism is any activity in which people are attracted to a particular location to attend a sport-related event as either a:

• Participant
• Visitor to sport attractions or delegate of sports sector meetings

In 2012, the sport tourism industry in Canada surpassed $5 billion in spending. The domestic market is the largest source of sport tourists, accounting for 84% of all spending, followed by overseas markets (10.8%) and US visitors (5.3% of sport tourism revenues) (Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, 2014).

Spotlight On: Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance

The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) was created in 2000 created to market Canada internationally as a preferred sport tourism destination and grow the sport tourism industry in Canada. The purpose of the alliance was to increase Canadian capacity to attract and host sport tourism events. The alliance has over 400 members including 142 municipalities, 200+ national and provincial sport organizations, and a variety of product and service suppliers to the industry. For more information, visit the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance website : http://canadiansporttourism.com

In British Columbia, sport tourism is supported through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, which invests in event hosting and the ViaSport program (formerly known as Hosting BC). Building on the success of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the program has a goal to maintain BC’s profile and reputation as an exceptional major event host. One success story is Kamloops, dubbed the Tournament Capital of Canada, which has made sport tourism a central component of its economy and welcomes over one million visitors to its tournament centre facility each year. And since 1977, the BC Winter and Summer Games have moved around the province, drawing attendees and creating volunteer opportunities for up to 3,200 community members.

Take a Closer Look: The Sport Tourism Guide  

The Sport Tourism Guide   from Destination BC’s Tourism Business Essentials series covers topics including understanding sport tourism, industry trends, event bidding and hosting, balance sheets, economic impacts, case studies, best practices, and links to additional information. For more information, read the Sport Tourism Guide [PDF] : www.destinationbc.ca/getattachment/Programs/Guides-Workshops-and-Webinars/Guides/Tourism-Business-Essentials-Guides/TBE-Guide-Sport-Tourism-Jun2013.pdf.aspx

According to the Canadian Gaming Association, gaming is one of the largest entertainment industries in Canada. It has larger revenues than those generated by magazines and book sales, drinking establishments, spectator sports, movie theatres, and performing arts combined (Canadian Gaming Association, 2011).

In 2011, the association released an economic impact study stating that legalized gaming had nearly tripled in size since 1995, from $6.4 billion to about $15.1 billion.

According to the BC Lottery Corporation, in 2013, the BC gaming industry was made up of:

• 17 casino facilities
• two main horse racetracks
• approximately 4,050 lottery outlets (retailers)
• 28 bingo halls including 18 bingo halls with slot machines ( community gaming centres , or CGCs )

Gaming at these facilities and online generated $1.175 billion in net tax revenue to the province of BC, which was reinvested into the heath care system and distributed to communities through a series of grants (BC Lottery Corporation, 2013).

Spotlight on: The BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC)

The  BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is a provincial Crown corporation that operates under the provincial Gaming Control Act. It is responsible for operating lottery, casino, online, and bingo gaming in BC. For more informatioon, visit the BC Lottery Corporation website : http://corporate.bclc.com

The provincial industry has grown annually since 2006, except in 2010 (slight decrease of about $15 million). The majority of growth was accounted for by the redevelopment/expansion of existing casinos and the introduction of a number of CGCs (Canadian Gaming Association, 2011).

Agritourism, Culinary Tourism, and Wine Tourism

Let’s now have a closer look at the world of farms, food, and wine in the entertainment and tourism industries.

Agritourism

The Canadian Farm Business Management Council defines agritourism as “travel that combines rural settings with products of agricultural operations within a tourism experience that is paid for by visitors” (SOTC, 2011). In other words, rural and natural environments are mixed with agricultural and tourism products and services.

Agritourism products and services can be categorized into three themes:

• Fixed attractions such as historic farms, living farms, museums, food processing facilities, and natural areas
• Events based on an agricultural theme such as conferences, rodeos, agricultural fairs, and food festivals
• Services such as accommodations (B&Bs), tours, retailing (farm produce and products), and activities (fishing, hiking, etc.) that incorporate agricultural products and/or experiences

At a time when farmers are facing increasing costs and the local food movement is growing in popularity, agritourism presents a great opportunity to use farm resources to create experiences for visitors, whether they be for entertainment, education, or as venues for business/meeting events. In BC, examples of agritourism businesses are Salt Spring Island Cheese, Okanagan Lavender Herb Farm near Kelowna, and Amusé Bistro in the Cowichan Valley, where a local monk and mushroom expert forages for local fungi (HelloBC, 2014).

The three primary agricultural regions in BC are:

• The Fraser Valley (outside of Vancouver)
• The Cowichan Valley (on Vancouver Island)
• The Okanagan Valley (in the southern central part of BC)

A number of self-guided circle tours and other experiences are available in these and other areas, including annual festivals and events, such as the Pemberton Slow Food Cycle Sunday, profiled in the Spotlight On below.

Spotlight On: Slow Food Cycle Sunday

The Slow Food Cycle Sunday began in 2005 with the Helmer family farm in Pemberton. The idea is to connect everyday people and city residents to their farmers. Attendees register in advance and then cycle from farm to farm gathering ingredients and enjoying tastings and learning more about farm operations. It’s the opposite of the drive-through fast-food experience, and one that gains popularity every year. For more information, visit Slow Food Cycle Sunday : SlowFoodCycleSunday.com

Culinary Tourism

Culinary tourism refers to “any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, and/or consumes food and drink that reflects the local, regional, or national cuisine, heritage, culture, tradition, or culinary techniques” (Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance, 2013). The United Nations World Tourism Organization has noted that food tourism is a dynamic and growing segment, and that over one-third of tourism expenditures relate to food (UNWTO, 2012).

Culinary tourism in Canada began to gain traction as a niche in 2002 when the Canadian Tourism Commission highlighted it within the cultural tourism market, and according to a Ryerson University study, the average culinary tourist spends twice the amount of a generic tourist (Grishkewich, 2012).

While an emerging and potentially lucrative market, there is much more to learn about culinary tourists to BC, and Canada. To date more research has profiled an additional sub-segment of culinary tourism, wine tourism, which we’ll explore next.

Wine Tourism

The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) defines  wine tourism  as the “tasting, consumption, or purchase of wine, often at or near the source, such as wineries.” It also includes an educational aspect and festivals focusing on the production of wine (Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, 2014).

There are more than 200 wineries in BC, ranging from small family-run vineyards to large estate operations. In 2011, BC’s wine industry generated $1.43 billion in business revenue, and either directly or indirectly supported over 10,000 full-time jobs (Frank, Rimerman + Co, 2013).

Specific to tourism, wineries across BC attracted over 800,000 visitors in 2011, generating $1.63 million, more than 10% of total provincial wine revenues. Wine tourism accounted for over 2,000 wine-related jobs that year, approximately 20% of total wine industry jobs (Frank, Rimmerman + Co, 2013).

Take a Closer Look: Wine Tourism Product Report

For more information on the wine sector in British Columbia, read this 2009 report that speaks to market profiles, industry makeup and other important information: Wine Tourism Product Report, 2009 [PDF] : http://www.destinationbc.ca/getattachment/Research/Research-by-Activity/Land-based/Wine_Sector_Profile.pdf.aspx

According to the 2006 Travel Activities and Motivations Survey (TAMS), 3.3 million Canadians and 30 million Americans participated in wine tourism in 2004/2005, with BC receiving 45% of the Canadian visitors, and just over 9% of the American guests. These visitors earned 40% higher incomes than generic visitors, were well-educated, evenly split between men and women, and represented a slightly older demographic (Destination BC, 2009).

While more recent data is not currently available on this still-developing sector, industry experts agree that agritourism, culinary tourism, and wine tourism will continue to attract lucrative visitors and play a growing role in BC’s tourism economy.

Trends and Issues

So far in this chapter, we’ve looked at entertainment experiences from wine to gambling, from farm-fresh foods to museums and galleries, and at many things in between. But the entertainment sector doesn’t exist in a perfect world. Now let’s examine some of the trends and issues in the sector today. Festivals, events, and other entertainment experiences can have significant positive, and negative, impacts on communities and guests.

Impacts of Entertainment

Each type of festival, event, or attraction will have an impact on the host community and guests. Table 6.2 lists some of the positive impacts that can be built upon and celebrated. It also lists some of the potential negative impacts event coordinators should strive to limit.

The role of technology is shifting the guest experience from the physical to the virtual. Online gambling, virtual exhibits, and live streaming animal habitat cams are just a few of the new ways that visitors can be entertained, often without having to visit the destination. As this type of experience continues to thrive, the sector must constantly adapt to capture revenues and attention.

Across Canada and within BC the range of activities to entertain and delight travellers runs from authentic explorations of cultural phenomena to pure amusement. Those working in the entertainment tourism sector know that providing a friendly, welcoming experience is a key component in sustaining any tourism destination. Whether through festivals, events, attractions, or new virtual components, the tourism industry relies on entertainment to complete packages and ensure guests, whether business or leisure travellers, increase their spending and enjoyment.

Thus far we’ve explored the key sectors of transportation, accommodation, food and beverage, and recreation and entertainment. The final sector, travel services, brings these all together, and is explored in more detail in Chapter 7.

• Agritourism: tourism experiences that highlight rural destinations and prominently feature agricultural operations
• Art museums:  museums that collect historical and modern works of art for educational purposes and to preserve them for future generations
• Botanical garden:  a garden that displays native and/or non-native plants and trees, often running educational programming
• British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC): the rown corporation responsible for operating casinos, lotteries, bingo halls, and online gaming in the province of BC
• Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada (BEICC):  an advocacy group for the meetings and events industry in Canada
• Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA): created in 2000, an industry organization funded by the Canadian Tourism Commission to increase Canadian capacity to attract and host sport tourism events
• Community gaming centres (CGCs):  small-scale gaming establishments, typically in the form of bingo halls
• Conferences: business events that have specific themes and are held for smaller, focused groups
• Conventions: business events that generally have very large attendance, are held annually in different locations each year, and usually require a bidding process
• Culinary tourism: tourism experiences where the key focus is on local and regional food and drink, often highlighting the heritage of products involved and techniques associated with their production
• Cultural/heritage tourism: when tourists travel to a specific destination in order to participate in a cultural or heritage-related event
• Entertainment : (as it relates to tourism) includes attending festivals, events, fairs, spectator sports, zoos, botanical gardens, historic sites, cultural venues, attractions, museums, and galleries
• Event : a happening at a given place and time, usually of some importance, celebrating or commemorating a special occasion; can include mega-events, special events, hallmark events, festivals, and local community events
• Festival : a public event that features multiple activities in celebration of a culture, an anniversary or historical date, art form, or product (food, timber, etc.)
• Incentive travel:  a global management tool that uses an exceptional travel experience to motivate and/or recognize participants for increased levels of performance in support of organizational goals
• International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA):  organization that supports professionals who produce and support celebrations for the benefit of their respective communities
• Meetings, conventions, and incentive travel (MCIT):  all special events with programming aimed at a business audience
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI):  a membership-based professional development organization for meeting and event planners
• Public galleries:  art galleries that do not generally collect or conserve works of art; rather, they focus on exhibitions of contemporary works as well as on programs of lectures, publications, and other events
• Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE):  a global network of professionals dedicated to the recognition and development of motivational incentives and performance improvement
• Sport tourism:  any activity in which people are attracted to a particular location as a participant, spectator, or visitor to sport attractions, or as an attendee of sport-related business meetings
• Tourist attractions: places of interest that pull visitors to a destination; open to the public for entertainment or education
• Trade shows/trade fairs: can be stand-alone events, or adjoin a convention or conference and allow a range of vendors to showcase their products and services either to other businesses or to consumers
• Wine tourism:  tourism experiences where exploration, consumption, and purchase of wine are key components
• Review the categories of events. What types of events have you ever attended in person? What types of events are held in your community? Try to list at least one for each category.
• Should the government (municipal, provincial, federal) support festivals and events? Why or why not?
• Aside from convention centres, where else can meetings, conventions, and conferences be held? Use your own creative ideas to list at least five other venues.
• What are some of the main sources of revenue for attractions (both mainstream and cultural/heritage attractions)? What are the main expenses?
• Should private sector investors receive government funding for tourism entertainment facilities? Should they be required to contribute their revenues to the community? Why or why not?
• Name a cultural or heritage attraction in your community. Where does its revenue come from? What are its major expenses? Who are its target markets? Based on this information, make three key recommendations for sustaining its business.
• Do you agree with certain animal rights groups that zoos should be shut down? Why or why not?

Case Study: Merridale Estate Cidery

With the purchase of the cidery, Janet and Rick undertook an extensive renovation in order to transform the facility into an agritourism attraction. They expanded the cellar and tasting rooms and created the Cider House in 2003 from which they began running tours and tastings. From there they added:

• The Farmhouse Store with retail sales of their cider product, local agriculture products, and BC arts and crafts
• The Bistro and Orchard Cookhouse, two distinct food and beverage operations
• The Brick Oven Bakery (producing artisanal baked goods in its on-site brick oven)
• Yurts (two cabin-style tents) for onsite accommodation

The cidery is now a destination for special events such as weddings. It also runs an InCider Club for frequent purchasers of its products.

Visit the Merridale website at www.merridalecider.com  and answer the following questions:

• What is Merridale’s core business?
• Who are its customers?
• Merridale comprises food and beverage, retail, accommodations, and is an attraction. How would you classify it as a tourism operation?
• Is Merridale a seasonal operation? What would you consider to be its peak season? How has it extended revenue-earning opportunities?
• Merridale’s slogan is “Apples Expressed.” Does this tagline capture its essence? Why or why not?
• Consider Merridale’s products, experiences, and markets. What partners should the cidery work with, either globally or locally, to attract business? Name at least three.
• Do you think Merridale should add components, or eliminate components, from its business? Explain your answer.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (2014). The Canadian wine industry. Retrieved from www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-and-trade/statistics-and-market-information/by-product-sector/processed-food-and-beverages/the-canadian-wine-industry/?id=1172244915663

Botanic Gardens Conservation International. (2014). Welcome to BGCI Canada. Retrieved from www.bgci.org/canada

British Columbia Lottery Corporation. (2014). BCLC 2013-14 annual report. Retrieved from http://issuu.com/bclc-onlinelibrary/docs/bclc_2013-14_annual_report?e=1760950/8584471

Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada. (2014). Business events are big business. Retrieved from http://beicc.com/ceis/

Calgary Zoo. (2013). Calgary Zoo 2013 annual report . [PDF] Retrieved from www.calgaryzoo.com/sites/default/files/pdf/2013-CGYZoo-AnnualReport_WEB.pdf

CAMDO. (2014). Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization blog . Retrieved from www.camdo.ca/blog/?page_id=458

Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums. (2014). About us. Retrieved from www.caza.ca

Canadensis .(2014). FAQ. Retrieved from www.canadensisgarden.ca/f-a-q/

Canadian Gaming Association. (2011, October 19).  Canadian gaming industry matures into one of the largest entertainment industries in the country. Retrieved from www.canadiangaming.ca/news-a-articles/95-canadian-gaming-industry-matures-into-one-of-the-largest-entertainment-industries-in-the-country-the-cgas-economic-impact-study-finds.html

Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. (2013). Value of sport tourism. Retrieved from www.canadiansporttourism.com/value-sport-tourism.html

Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. (2014). Sport tourism: Full steam ahead! Retrieved from http://canadiansporttourism.com/news/sport-tourism-full-steam-ahead.html

Canadian Tourism Commission. (1998). Canada’s tourist attractions: A statistical snapshot 1995-96 .

Colston, K. (2014, April 24). Non-traditional event venues – Endless entertainment . Retrieved from http://helloendless.com/non-traditional-event-venues/

Destination BC. (2009, October). Wine tourism insight. [PDF] Retrieved from www.destinationbc.ca/getattachment/Research/Research-by-Activity/Land-based/Wine_Sector_Profile.pdf.aspx

Enigma Research Consultants. (2009). The economic impact of Canada’s largest events and festivals [PDF] . Retrieved from http://fame-feem.ca/wp-content/themes/sands/downloads/2009%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20Canada’s%20Largest%20Festivals%20and%20Events.pdf

Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP. (2013). The economic impact of the wine and grape industry in Canada 2011 . [PDF] Retrieved from http://engage.gov.bc.ca/liquorpolicyreview/files/2013/11/Canadian-Vintners-Association.pdf

Getz, D. (1997). Event management and event tourism . New York, NY: Cognizant Communications, p.6.

Goldblatt, J. (2001). The international dictionary of event management (2nd ed.) . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, p. 78.

Government of Canada. (2014a). Funds awarded – Major events. Retrieved from www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1389635366164

Government of Canada. (2014b). Survey of heritage institutions: 2011 . [PDF] Canadian Heritage. Retrieved from www.pch.gc.ca/DAMAssetPub/DAM-verEval-audEval/STAGING/texte-text/2011_Heritage_Institutions_1414680089816_eng.pdf?WT.contentAuthority=6.0

Government of Canada. (2014c). Performing arts, operating statistics. Retrieved from www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/arts73a-eng.htm

Government of Canada. (2014d). Amusement and recreation, summary statistics. Retrieved from www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/arts60a-eng.htm

Grishkewich, Cheryl. (2012, January 12). Culinary tourists: Recipe for economic development success. Retrieved from: https://ontarioculinary.com/cheryls-tasty-tid-bits/

HelloBC. (2014, October 20). Down on the farm: Agritourism in BC . Retrieved from http://travelmedia.hellobc.com/stories/down-on-the-farm–agritourism-in-bc.aspx

LinkBC. (2012). Cultural & heritage tourism: A handbook for community champions . [PDF] Retrieved from www.linkbc.ca/siteFiles/85/files/CHT_WEB.pdf

Motion Picture Association – Canada. (2013). Issues and positions. [PDF] Retrieved from www.mpa-canada.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/MPA-Canada_Nordicity-Report_July-2013_English.pdf

Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance. (2013). Culinary tourism: A definition. Retrieved from: https://ontarioculinary.com/resources/culinary-tourism-101/

Pacific National Exhibition. (n.d.).  About us . Retrieved from http://www.pne.ca/aboutus/index.html

PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2014).  Our views. Retrieved from www.peta.org/about-peta/why-peta/zoos/#ixzz3LiYfeI6C)

Society of Incentive Travel Excellence. (2014). History. Retrieved from www.siteglobal.com/p/cm/ld/fid=109

SOTC – Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation. (2011). What is agritourism? Retrieved from www.osw-agritourismtoolkit.com/Agribusiness/What-is-Agritourism

Swarbrooke, J. (2002). The development & management of visitor attractions, 2nd ed . Oxford, UK: Butterworth Heinemann.

Toronto Zoo. (2010). Toronto Zoo 2010 annual report [PDF] . Retrieved from www.torontozoo.com/pdfs/Toronto%20Zoo%202010%20Annual%20Report.pdf

United Nations World Tourism Organization. (2012). Global report on food tourism. Retrieved from www.silkroad.unwto.org/publication/unwto-am-report-vol-4-global-report-food-tourism

Vancouver Aquarium. (2013). Vancouver Aquarium annual report 2013 [PDF] . Retrieved from: www.vanaqua.org/annualreport2013/assets/dist/pdfs/annualreport2013.pdf

Wald, C. (2014, November). Is the future of zoos no zoos at all? The Atlantic. Retrieved from  www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/11/is-the-future-of-zoos-no-zoos-at-all/383070/

Attributions

Figure 6.1   Labyrinth of Light by Tavis Ford is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

Figure 6.2    Cornucopia :: Whistler’s Celebration of Wine & Food by Shinsuke Ikegame is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

Figure 6.3   Pan Pacific Vancouver and the Vancouver Convention Center by Pan Pacific is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

Figure 6.4   Pioneer by J Scott is used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 license.

Figure 6.5   yoshiko by Raul Pacheco-Vega is used under a CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.

Figure 6.6  Swingers and Spinners | The PNE Fairgrounds by Rikki/Julius Reque is used under a CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.

Figure 6.7  Edgewater Casino by colink is used under a CC-BY-SA 2.0 license.

Figure 6.8  Saturna Vineyards by David Stanley is used under a CC-BY 2.0 license.

Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC Copyright © 2015 by Donna Owens is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Attraction, tourism

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Benckendorff, P. (2014). Attraction, tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_12-1

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Fact sheet: 2022 national travel and tourism strategy, office of public affairs.

The 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy was released on June 6, 2022, by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo on behalf of the Tourism Policy Council (TPC). The new strategy focuses the full efforts of the federal government to promote the United States as a premier destination grounded in the breadth and diversity of our communities, and to foster a sector that drives economic growth, creates good jobs, and bolsters conservation and sustainability. Drawing on engagement and capabilities from across the federal government, the strategy aims to support broad-based economic growth in travel and tourism across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia.

The federal government will work to implement the strategy under the leadership of the TPC and in partnership with the private sector, aiming toward an ambitious five-year goal of increasing American jobs by attracting and welcoming 90 million international visitors, who we estimate will spend $279 billion, annually by 2027.

The new National Travel and Tourism Strategy supports growth and competitiveness for an industry that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, generated $1.9 trillion in economic output and supported 9.5 million American jobs. Also, in 2019, nearly 80 million international travelers visited the United States and contributed nearly $240 billion to the U.S. economy, making the United States the global leader in revenue from international travel and tourism. As the top services export for the United States that year, travel and tourism generated a $53.4 billion trade surplus and supported 1 million jobs in the United States.

The strategy follows a four-point approach:

• Promoting the United States as a Travel Destination Goal : Leverage existing programs and assets to promote the United States to international visitors and broaden marketing efforts to encourage visitation to underserved communities.
• Facilitating Travel to and Within the United States Goal : Reduce barriers to trade in travel services and make it safer and more efficient for visitors to enter and travel within the United States.
• Ensuring Diverse, Inclusive, and Accessible Tourism Experiences Goal : Extend the benefits of travel and tourism by supporting the development of diverse tourism products, focusing on under-served communities and populations. Address the financial and workplace needs of travel and tourism businesses, supporting destination communities as they grow their tourism economies. Deliver world-class experiences and customer service at federal lands and waters that showcase the nation’s assets while protecting them for future generations.
• Fostering Resilient and Sustainable Travel and Tourism Goal : Reduce travel and tourism’s contributions to climate change and build a travel and tourism sector that is resilient to natural disasters, public health threats, and the impacts of climate change. Build a sustainable sector that integrates protecting natural resources, supporting the tourism economy, and ensuring equitable development.

Travel and Tourism Fast Facts

• The travel and tourism industry supported 9.5 million American jobs through $1.9 trillion of economic activity in 2019. In fact, 1 in every 20 jobs in the United States was either directly or indirectly supported by travel and tourism. These jobs can be found in industries like lodging, food services, arts, entertainment, recreation, transportation, and education.
• Travel and tourism was the top services export for the United States in 2019, generating a $53.4 billion trade surplus.
• The travel and tourism industry was one of the U.S. business sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent health and travel restrictions, with travel exports decreasing nearly 65% from 2019 to 2020. 
• The decline in travel and tourism contributed heavily to unemployment; leisure and hospitality lost 8.2 million jobs between February and April 2020 alone, accounting for 37% of the decline in overall nonfarm employment during that time. 
• By 2021, the rollout of vaccines and lifting of international and domestic restrictions allowed travel and tourism to begin its recovery. International arrivals to the United States grew to 22.1 million in 2021, up from 19.2 million in 2020. Spending by international visitors also grew, reaching $81.0 billion, or 34 percent of 2019’s total.

More about the Tourism Policy Council and the 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy

Created by Congress and chaired by Secretary Raimondo, the Tourism Policy Council (TPC) is the interagency council charged with coordinating national policies and programs relating to travel and tourism. At the direction of Secretary Raimondo, the TPC created a new five-year strategy to focus U.S. government efforts in support of the travel and tourism sector which has been deeply and disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full strategy here

Tourism And Entertainment Industry A Comatose Tools For Economic Development

The truth be told, every country of the world is a tourist destination, but it is by choice to make ones such attractive. Implying to say, that the main goals of controlling the flow of people, goods, and services into and out of any nation is to keep track on entry and to prevent illegal immigration, safeguard the lives and property of its citizens, maintain national sovereignty, border control, and to keep foreigners from taking advantage of the opportunities specifically designated for citizens. Not to refuse visitors entry on vacation and or tourism.

The above stated reasons could be some of the explanations for why, only seventeen (17) countries in the world-the bulk of which are West African nations-can enter Nigeria without a visa. The goal of this article is to examine how such a hash policy could harm the Nigeria's ability to expand economically and its diplomatic ties with other nations.

The Ministry of Tourism, whose primary duties include developing policies and promoting tourism in Nigeria, has yet considered pushing for more nations to be granted free visa entry into Nigeria at least for a minimum of thirty (30) day duration.

there is no gain saying that giving people easy access to enjoy a country's vast natural resources is the best way to highlight and promote them. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason why a citizen of the United States, Canada, Europe, or the United Kingdom should need to apply for a visa in order to travel to Nigeria for tourism.

Most citizens of wealthy nations would probably not want to live in Nigeria instead of their home countries, but could be interested in visiting for holidays. They are however tragically discouraged by the unpleasant experience of having to wait in line for a visa to a country that is clearly still developing. They rather travel to other countries that requires visas on arrival.

The current foreign exchange crisis in Nigeria's economy has resulted in an endless shortage of foreign exchange, which has significantly raised the cost of converting Naira into US dollars, especially on the black market. kudos to the intense efforts of the current government.

However, because of this volatile situation, which has increased tension in the nation and negatively impacted Nigeria's standard of living due to an excessive reliance on oil, it has become increasingly difficult for succeeding governments to achieve economic growth, which would typically result in an improvement in the standard of living for citizens.

In the past eight years, President Buhari's administration failed to find a novel way to wean Nigeria off its exclusive reliance on oil. For example, diversifying the economy and looking into other promising industries, like tourism, which meticulous study shows loses billions of dollars in untapped revenue, would not have simply saved the country of this quagmire.

Diversifying the economy from oil to other sector-based economy such as tourism and entertainment will drive sustainable growth, increase revenue sources, and create job opportunities if proper government policies are formulated in that direction.

This is understandably so because Nigeria has a unique and multi-cultural structure which avails us of rich cultural and tourism potentials that can drive growth if properly harnessed and sustainably developed alongside entertainment.

Nigeria with over 250 ethnic groups with diverse cultures, languages, arts, as well as a unique environmental endowment by nature which implies that each ethnic group can leverage areas of their comparative creative and tourism advantage to grow home or local economy.

Today, Nigeria has regular passport holders from a paltry seventeen (17) countries only who are visiting the country for tourism purposes including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire. These countries do not require visas and will be granted permission for short-term stay on arrival as reported by Embassies.Net.

On the other hand, a recent report by Henley Passport Index, disclosed that the Nigerian passport can cover about forty-five (45) visa-free countries enabled in 2024.

It is therefore worrisome that despite our rich cultural and tourism potentials, Nigeria has refused to advance freer visas for major developed and developing countries as well as dole out trade incentives to countries interested in exploring our tourism potentials, instead we permit such issuance to underdeveloped struggling nations with little or no positive implication to the development of our tourism sector.

Nigeria as a struggling nation in terms of economic growth, has refused and or neglected to assert control over its resources in this respect, hindering the full realization of the benefits that should ordinarily accrue from global success through tourism and entertainment.

Tourism Industry in Nigeria Today

Because Nigeria is home to so many different ethnic groups, as was already mentioned, it is well known that much of the country's tourism is focused on events. However, if time is taken to explore our country's rain forests, savannah, waterfalls, and other natural beauties, we will discover much more to offer.

According to sources, visitors spent over US$2.6 billion in Nigeria in 2015. However, recent data shows that the amount has significantly decreased, reaching an all-time low of US$1.5 billion since 2017.

Nigeria today has a more than enough tourism destination to wit; the Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, Sungbo's Eredo in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Tarkwa Bay Beach in Lagos, Kajuru Castle located in Kaduna State, Tinapa Resort Calabar, Obudu Mountain Resort, Hot and Cold Water in Ikogosi Warm Springs, in Ekiti State, Yankari Game Reserve located in Bauch State, and the biggest fishing settlement in west Africa located in Oyorokoto in Andoni LGA of Rivers State and many other places that are yet to be explored and too many to mention here.

A lot has been said about the tourism industry which is being presently regulated and managed by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation. In an effort to increase awareness of the nation's tourist industry, the Miss tourist Nigeria Pageant was established in 2004. The winners in the years 2004, 2005, and 2006 were Gloria Zirigbe, Abigail Longe, and Shirley Aghotse. Regretfully, the ministry's pageantry and other initiatives haven't done enough in promoting tourism in Nigeria, sad to say.

Even Nigerians are unaware of the majority of the listed tourism destinations, let alone visitors from other countries. The list goes on. The most elegant Governor's exuberant efforts in the name of Tinapa is turning into a wasted endeavor, to say the least.

much is yet to be explored of the interesting men and women of a specific tribe living on the mountainous region Taraba. We are of the view that they and or there, is a tourism goldmine that hasn't yet been explored.

The Entertainment Industry : Because of the vivid artistry of imaginative, gifted, and adaptable musicians an performers, Nigeria's entertainment sector undoubtedly shines as a light of innovation. These individuals have won numerous prestigious prizes throughout the world, projecting the industry on a worldwide scale over the years.

Nigeria's entertainment sector has drawn attention from across the world, which in turn provides a platform for talents to develop and make a significant economic contribution to the country.

It is therefore no secret that over the years, our music industry for example, has attracted audiences from all over the world. Artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Tems, Rhema, Yemi Alade and a host of others have garnered global recognition with their music traveling through different continents and for the first time and recently, Asia. This recognition has given rise to Afro beats a music genre exclusively originating from Africa; thus leading to multiple lucrative record deals, concert tours and brand endorsements from the international community.

Okoye Leo in his article titled: 'The Rise of Afrobeat and its Global Recognition' recently published by the Voice Magazine, has the following to say with specific reference to 2023 thus: 'The year 2023 marked a watershed moment for African music and afrobeat, witnessing a surge in influence and accomplishments by renowned artists. The introduction of a new Grammy category, chart dominance, and the global recognition of female artists, such as Tems, who achieved the historic feat of being the first Nigerian artist nominated for an Academy Award (Oscars), exemplify the industry's ascendancy. Tems, breaking barriers not only secured a nomination for 'Lift Me Up,' an original soundtrack for Ryan Coogler's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, alongside Rihanna but also clinched a Grammy award for Best Melodic Rap Performance with Future and Drake for 'Wait for U'. Tiwa Savage, another trailblazer, etched her name in history as Nigeria's first artist to perform at the coronation of a British Monarch, delivering a captivating rendition of 'Keys to the Kingdom' at King Charles' coronation. The global appeal of Nigerian Afro-pop artists has surged, with Rema's memorable performance at the 2023 Ballon D'Or and his subsequent Billboard Top Afrobeat Song win for 'Clam Down Remix' featuring Salena Gomez. Burna Boy, securing the accolade of Top Afrobeat's Artist and the inaugural 'Billboard Top Afrobeat's Artiste', further solidifies the international recognition garnered by Nigerian artists'.

No doubt, the industry was projected to experience exponential growth in terms of its revenue from an initial $4 billion annual generation in terms of revenue creation between the year 2013- 2014 to an estimated $14.82 billion in 2025 According to the NECLive report, ten (10) years after, in 2024, the timeline currently presents the entertainment and media revenue to be about $10.8 billion. Although this is significantly lower than the United States of America that is put at $598billion as of 2014, but we can't also deny that if properly harnessed Nigeria is starring at a whopping billions in naira and other hard currencies.

It is also important to note that Nigeria was next to India in 2014 with India having an estimated sector size worth of about $17billion and capable of generating an estimated $22.2 billion in revenue per annum. The Indian entertainment industry is already closing on its estimated Rs. 2.34 trillion (USD 29.2 billion) to maintain a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10% according to major reports.

A reports by ChartsAfrica on X, says Burna Boy has had eight (8) of the ten (10) highest-grossing concerts by an African Artist in between 2022 and 2023. The Nigerian music star has not just made international performances part of his routine to make additional revenue from his work but has done so by selling out historical centers on multiple occasions if not in all corners of the world.

The Nigerian Music Star is reported to have sold out 36,585 tickets on his show at LA DEFENSE ARENA in Nanterre, France and a total of 15,165 tickets at his London show in 02 ARENA according to topchartsafrica. Wizkid on the other hand is reported to have sold out his concert at 02 ARENA in London with over 16,938 tickets and 12,901 tickets in Madison Square Garden in New York while Davido sold out London's highly acclaimed 20,000 capacity 02 ARENA in his most recent concert Timeless concert held in January 2024.

The prospects of Nigeria's tourism and entertainment industry to grow our continuous plummeting economy is promising and this is driven by the job creation potentials potentials of the aforementioned industries, foreign exchange earnings, infrastructure development and digital innovation.

However, leveraging on these potentials requires a concentrated effort from all major stakeholders particularly the government in providing policies aimed at fostering global collaborations by creating an enabling environment for creativity and foreign investment as well as engaging industry stakeholders, private investors, artists, and industry associations to implement supportive policies and incentives aimed towards growing the industry.

Recommendations

- To sustain the growth of the two (2) industries, there is a pressing need for infrastructural development and investment in key areas such as tourism, music production facilities and exhibitions as well as affordable concert venues. This will in turn attract private investment both domestic and foreign and further bolster the economy.

- Over the years our star artists continue to generate millions of dollars in revenue from multiple concerts and tours held yearly in their host countries. While Nigerian music stars continue to contribute significantly on a global scale, there is a call for a more balanced approach that also uplifts local industries. It is my position that with the right environment, infrastructure and policies in place, exhibitions and concerts can be held in Nigeria and more foreigners will be more inclined to visit Nigeria to attend these concerts and can serve as a platform to showcase our music on a global stage.

It will also attract tourists from all over Africa and other parts of the world who are interested in having firsthand experience of Nigeria's rich cultural heritage beyond the event itself. Concerts can help boost our local businesses and stimulate our local businesses ranging from hotels, food, transportation services, etc. The impact of hosting international concerts extends to employment opportunities in sectors such as event management, hospitality, security etc, and it will have a significant impact in generating revenue and contribute to Nigeria's foreign exchange reserves. It is important to note that tourism in Nigeria is basically centered on events as earlier pointed out, but in essence, it is totally beyond that. Government can through private organizations establish a reputable, institutionalized Awards platforms to recognize and promote not only afro beats music but as well as highlife music, jazz music, fuji etc.

The ONE-STOP Investment Centre (OSIC): The One-Stop Investment Centre (OSIC) brings together relevant government agencies to one location to provide fast-tracked services to investors. The centre is coordinated by the NIPC, and its objectives is to simplify business entry processes by removing administrative and regulatory bottlenecks pertaining to doing business in Nigeria. The centre presently has twenty seven (27) participating agencies. If we must diversify our economy and harness the opportunity there is in tourism, Nigeria must as a matter of urgency, do more to encourage such initiatives. Whilst the government must be commended in this regard, there is also the need for government to add some flesh to the initiative by allowing the concept of shelf company. With the OSIC working, the need for shelfing companies for investors cannot be over emphasized.

The current visa policy needs to be reviewed. Like Rwanda, Nigeria should implement a free visa policy for tourists across major countries of the world. The potential of Africa has been pitched as 'a unified tourism destination' being a continent that still relies on 60% of its tourists from outside Africa, according to the data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Our government must encourage local production by making funds available to manufacturers to promote made-in-Nigeria goods. This can be done by licensing private business individuals to display locally made-in-Nigeria products in strategic centres to be in the airports i.e. something akin to the OSIC for foreigners who come into the country to have easy access to made-in-Nigeria goods at a cheaper price as part of the first major incentives to the visitors-this must be be given priority. This tax free made in Nigeria goods may be accessed through licensed shops both at the airports and within the cities, with tax rebate at the point of exit from Nigeria.

Finally, the government should formulate policies to remove all bottlenecks in the exportation of made-in-Nigeria products by making the exercise seamless. This will further strengthen the Naira and give room for foreign trade and investment expansion which will benefit the country.

Looking Ahead: A 2024 Hospitality Market Forecast 

Category: Reports

Nov 29, 2023

The U.S.commercial real estate hospitality market, having successfully rebounded from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the suspension of travel and hotel reservations, has seen a robust recovery in its fundamentals. Although the industry was not without its challenges in 2023, including workforce shortages, increased wage rates, interest rate hikes, and reduced deal flow, there are positive indications of growth and potential investment opportunities in 2024.

Travel & Industry Updates 

Tourism rates have surged alongside restrictions on short-term rentals and a tightening supply of hotel rooms, leading to increased rates in major urban centers within the top 25 U.S. markets. Despite being severely impacted during the pandemic, these major cities are poised for a significant resurgence. The swift rebound can be attributed to the substantial pent-up demand for both business and leisure travel. A complete travel recovery isn’t anticipated until 2025, as escalating costs have hindered plans.

Business travel 

According to Deloitte, corporate bookings remain lower than 2019 levels, and if companies decide to cut costs due to 2024’s economic outlook, travel demand might face hurdles. Business travel is also lagging compared to pre-pandemic, as the increase in remote work has reduced travel frequency, with fewer employees needing to attend trips. Spend volume for corporate travel appears likely to recover by late 2024 or early 2025.

On a positive note, hotels are seeing a recovery in group travel as conferences and tradeshows are experiencing strong attendance. Further, companies have started arranging smaller corporate meetings to enhance team dynamics, indicating the enduring desire across industries to reconnect in person despite economic headwinds.

Leisure travel 

Leisure travel experienced a downturn in Q2 and Q3 2023; pandemic savings diminished, and increasing costs affected travel budgets. Despite this, there is an ongoing trend in “Bleisure Travel,” where business travelers extend their trips to enjoy leisure activities. Employees are structuring their travel plans around work and leisure, contributing to the industry’s recovery.

How the CRE Market is Adjusting 

Despite slower transaction activity, experts remain optimistic about the industry’s performance even in the face of a potential mild recession. This confidence is attributed to the sector’s ability to adapt and perform strongly. 

One significant challenge in the market is aligning buyers, sellers, and lenders on pricing expectations. Prospective sellers, having purchased assets at high valuations, are faced with minimizing losses by selling at the best possible price or holding onto assets, hoping to recover asset values. 

At the same time, buyers face elevated borrowing costs and seek lower pricing on acquisitions to achieve healthy returns. This dynamic has widened bid-ask spreads across various real estate asset classes, leading to retraded or terminated deals during due diligence. 

Distressed scenarios are also emerging as borrowers under non-recourse loans default, adding further complexity to the market. In response, savvy investors are capitalizing on market opportunities. The most sought-after deals involve economy and limited-service hotels in markets such as Atlanta, California, Chicago, Charlotte, Florida, New York, Phoenix, and Texas. 

A look at the fundamentals 

Over the last 12 months, the average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) are 7.5 and 10.3 percent higher than a year ago, a significant indicator that the hospitality sector is recovering. RevPAR growth is predicted to slow to 0 to 2 percent in 2024 due to decreased U.S. economic growth and leisure travel. However, business travel is expected to keep occupancy rates and ADR stable.

New supply is not expected to be a severe headwind to the sector’s fundamentals and has only grown sub-0.5% for a while now. There are 153,509 rooms under construction, but the rising cost of construction debt will likely impact construction counts. However, an estimated 94,500 hotel rooms are slated for delivery across the U.S. by the end of this year, a 37.6% increase from 2022. To note, this number is lower than the 2016 to 2021 levels, and annual room deliveries still trail the long-term U.S. average by 2.4 percent.

 Historically, there has been a strong correlation between GDP and RevPAR from 1990-2019. This 30-year trend is expected to diverge in 2023. Title of this graph – GDP vs. RevPAR. 

On-market data (produced in collaboration with Crexi)  

As higher interest rates keep deal underwriting difficult and the bid-ask spread continues to be elevated, transaction activity has been muted in 2023. The data below indicates that despite headwinds, the hospitality sector remained relatively stable and free from volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, the hospitality market has effectively recovered from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic despite grappling with the challenges presented in 2023. The upswing in ADR contributed to a sustained increase in RevPAR, bolstering overall gross revenues. Looking ahead, the growth of RevPAR is anticipated to decelerate in 2024, coinciding with the slowdown in U.S. economic expansion and a moderation in post-pandemic leisure travel. Nevertheless, for CRE investors prospecting individual hospitality assets, a transaction’s success will be contingent on factors such as operating fundamentals, capitalization, and market alignment. 

Find your next hospitality investment on Crexi.

Matthews Real Estate Investment Services ™, a commercial real estate investment services and technology firm, holds recognition as an industry leader in investment sales, leasing, and debt and structured finance. Matthews™ delivers superior results through the firm’s industry revered work ethic, unique culture, collaboration, and advanced technology.

Since 2015, Matthews™ has experienced unprecedented growth adding over 600 real estate professionals to serve clients. Founded in El Segundo, CA, and strategically positioned in 19 offices across the United States, Matthews™ continues to expand into new markets.

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Because partners with the world travel & tourism council to advance more sustainable hotel operations.

WTTC's Hotel Sustainability Basics Framework will be available through the BeCause sustainability data management platform.

STOCKHOLM , April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --  BeCause , the Danish start-up transforming how the global hospitality, travel, and tourism industries manage their sustainability data, is simplifying the sustainability journey for members by integrating the industry association's Hotel Sustainability Basics (HSB) framework into its platform.

The partnership will enable WTTC to scale its Hotel Sustainability Basics more effectively, broadening its reach and impact within the hospitality industry. By centralizing relevant data within the BeCause platform, the global association will have greater visibility into which hotels have completed the framework and which ones are lagging, empowering it to advocate for more sustainable hotel operations globally. Similarly, hotel management at the chain level can check on the progress of individual properties and provide the necessary support to help them in their sustainability journeys.

"Sustainability is a priority for Travel & Tourism. Through the Hotel Sustainability Basics, the global hotel industry has come together to define 12 fundamental, globally aligned sustainability criteria that all hotels can and should implement as a bare minimum," says WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson ."Our goal is to have a globally recognized trademark that shows customers at a glance that a hotel is taking measures to improve its environmental performance while also supporting its local community. By joining forces with BeCause we are increasing the transparency of that process and giving hotel groups an effective and efficient way to put that tool into the hands of their properties."

Hotels' Sustainable Path to Green

Hotels that adopt the HSB framework have three years to meet its 12 criteria, which include sustainability indicators such as energy measurement and linen reuse. They can apply for Hotel Sustainability Basics (HSB) verification annually through one of WTTC's partners, Green Key and SGS. Successful verification grants them a badge that can be used across their branding to appeal to the growing number of environmentally conscious guests.                             

In the future, BeCause will simplify this process further by automatically transmitting data from its platform directly to the verification partners. Hotels already using BeCause to manage their sustainability data can reuse their existing and overlapping data points for the HSB framework, removing the need for duplicative and manual tasks.

"Like any endeavor, the first step is always the hardest. While many hotels might have sustainability initiatives in place, they don't necessarily track their data – or do so efficiently. By completing the HSB framework through BeCause and gaining greater insight into how their business activities impact the planet, we hope they will be encouraged to pursue even more ambitious sustainability measures in the future," says BeCause CEO and Co-founder Frederik Steensgaard .

An Industry-Specific Platform Based on Efficiency

BeCause is a purpose-built, AI-powered hub that centralizes a hotel's sustainability data and automates the transmission of that data amongst different stakeholders, such as travel and accommodation booking marketplaces and industry certifications. Additionally, once a hotel enters its data into the BeCause platform, it can be upcycled and automatically mapped to multiple frameworks, making qualifying for voluntary green certifications faster and more efficient while ensuring regulatory compliance.

For instance, hotels in Europe can meet their reporting obligations under the EU's Corporate Social Responsibility Directive by leveraging the industry-specific components of the ESRS reporting framework that BeCause is currently integrating into its platform, saving significant resources and reducing costs.

"For a long time, hotels have lacked an efficient way to manage their sustainability data. They were constrained by manual processes that produced unreliable results, making it difficult to get buy-in from stakeholders on sustainability-focused projects," Steensgaard adds. "We're here to change that, whether you are a hotel just starting out and using Hotel Sustainability Basics as your guide or you already have several eco-certifications granted."

For more information about BeCause or to speak with CEO and Co-founder Frederik Steensgaard , please contact Vanessa Horwell at  [email protected] .

For more information about WTTC's Hotel Sustainability Basics, please visit WTTC.org .

About BeCause   BeCause is an enterprise software company that streamlines the flow of sustainability data and creates synergies between different stakeholders in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries, empowering them to make decisions that result in positive, responsible change for people, the planet, and their profits. BeCause works with over 25,000 hotels, including brands like Radisson, certification entities like GreenKey, industry partners like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the SHA, and marketplaces like Booking.com. For more information, visit because.eco .

About WTTC The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to maximising the inclusive and sustainable growth potential of the Travel & Tourism sector by partnering with governments, destinations, communities, and other stakeholders to drive economic development, create jobs, reduce poverty and foster peace, security, and understanding in our world. For more information, visit wttc.org .

View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/because-partners-with-the-world-travel--tourism-council-to-advance-more-sustainable-hotel-operations-302125430.html

SOURCE BeCause

How Netflix has changed the global entertainment industry

• Netflix continues to rewrite the playbook for global entertainment.
• It's solidified its position as the dominant streamer.
• It now faces new challenges as it enters the advertising and gaming markets.

Since Netflix began its worldwide expansion in 2016, the streaming service has rewritten the playbook for global entertainment — from TV to film, and, more recently, video games.

Hollywood used to export most global hit series and movies. Now, thanks to Netflix's investments in international TV and film, programs like South Korea's "Squid Game" and France's "Lupin" have found massive audiences around the world. And Netflix's English-language originals, such as Shonda Rhimes' "Bridgerton," Ryan Murphy's "Dahmer," and Tim Burton's "Wednesday," have broken the streamer's internal streaming viewership records. 

Netflix has been riding high after the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes shut down Hollywood production and other streamers retrenched to stem losses . After a dip in 2022, its stock soared in 2023 and it's making headway with its crackdown on password sharing and its ad-supported subscription tier . Cash-hungry rivals have returned to licensing their shows  back to Netflix, which could help make the streamer even more dominant.

Netflix's impact on the global TV industry remains undeniable, even as it now faces fresh questions about its audience growth potential, ability to compete for ad dollars, and opportunity to capture younger viewers.

How Netflix disrupted the global TV industry

To thrive on an international stage, Netflix sought both US mass-market programming like "Stranger Things" as well as local content that could win over viewers in specific markets (and produce breakout hits).

The strategy helped the streaming service grow its customer base to more than 260 million global subscribers. Its momentum also reinvigorated production in places like Germany, Mexico, and India.

More recently, it along with other streamers has sought broadcast network-type shows that will grab broad viewership, plus fewer, lower-budget movies under new film chief Dan Lin. It's also dipped into live programming like sports and comedy.

More on Netflix's changing content direction:

• Netflix is shifting strategy away from big-budget action flicks and big-name stars. Here's its new plan.
• Netflix helped bring original films to streaming — now it's pulling back, and Hollywood is feeling the pinch
• Leaked documents reveal what Netflix wants in new shows, from more 'Dahmer'-style true crime to its own version of 'The Bear'
• Netflix's 'Squid Game' is part of a robust international TV strategy that's far ahead of rivals
• International TV producers describe how streaming competition is changing their markets

Netflix shook up its leadership to reflect a changing business

After breaking all of Hollywood's rules and disrupting everything about the entertainment industry, Netflix — since its first-ever subscriber loss — has been breaking its own rules, reversing its stances on password sharing and advertising.

It also shook up its leadership in 2023, elevating Greg Peters to co-CEO, reflecting its shift to new revenue streams, alongside Ted Sarandos  as cofounder Reed Hastings moved to executive chair.

Meanwhile, TV head Bela Bajaria was named chief content officer, with film reporting to her. 

An elite team of interdisciplinary execs helps make Netflix's biggest decisions. Known internally as the "Lstaff" — the "L" stands for leadership — the 22-member group sits between the company's officers and its larger executive corps of vice presidents and above, who are called the "Estaff."

More on Netflix's corporate structure:

• Netflix insiders describe its new co-CEO as 'hyper rational' and a behind-the-scenes power player leading key expansions in ads, gaming, and more
• Netflix org chart: The 71 most powerful people at the streamer and who they report to
• Netflix says subscribers to its ads plan have doubled. Meet the 19 execs driving the streamer's aggressive push into advertising.
• Netflix salaries revealed: How much engineers, marketers, content execs, and others get paid

Netflix continues to grow, despite layoffs

Netflix's restructuring hasn't been without obstacles. It's laid off hundreds of staffers over the past couple of years as the broader media and entertainment space grapples with a bear market .

Still, the company's growth has generally made it a desirable place to work in recent years, despite some tests its corporate culture has faced. While hiring has slowed, it's still adding employees to maintain its lead over other paid streamers and fuel its global expansion.

More on Netflix's business model and company culture:

• Netflix insiders describe a culture shift to 'fear-based' decision making, execs stretched thin, and belt tightening amid layoffs and subscriber losses
• Netflix spending cuts fuel fears that its golden creative age is over
• Netflix exec reveals sports ambitions and what's next for live sports as golf series 'Full Swing' debuts
• Netflix is still hiring for hundreds of roles across its games studio, engineering teams, and more. Salary data shows how much the company has offered for 180 different jobs.

Netflix is moving into advertising and gaming

Netflix faces more competition from TV viewers than ever from traditional media companies like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery and tech players Apple , Amazon, and YouTube, most of which are further along in selling ads and offering live sports programming.

The competition is pushing the streaming giant to continue evolving. Netflix introduced a cheaper, ad-supported tier to combat slowing subscriber growth. It's also building video games and selling merchandise and experiences tied to series like "Squid Game" and "Bridgerton."  

Some creators worried that Netflix would take fewer risks on programming to please advertisers, while the service has been slow to meet the scale demanded by advertisers. 

As it did with movies and TV shows, Netflix is ramping up advertising and games slowly. It's commissioning and licensing mobile games, some of which are based on existing franchises like "Stranger Things" and acquired companies to kickstart the business.

More on Netflix's advertising and gaming ambitions: 

• Netflix has launched its ad-supported tier — here's everything we know about how the streaming giant is pitching advertisers
• Netflix's stock surged after the company's first TV upfront presentation. Meet the 19 execs driving its advertising push
• Why Netflix is placing cars like the Chevy Bolt in its shows, and what the streamer's deal with GM means for its growing advertising business
• How Netflix leaders, including its new co-CEO, are thinking about a FAST streaming service that could supercharge its ads business
• Netflix is doubling down on gaming, with dozens of new hires and a dedicated studio, as it chases younger audiences and battles to turn back subscriber losses

Elaine Low contributed to an earlier version of this post.

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

Watch: Why MassMutual is all in on the Boston Red Sox, according to CMO Jennifer Halloran

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Entertainment Keeps Georgia On Your Mind! 

Our mission.

Entertainment Tourism Alliance of Georgia exists to educate, advocate, and promote tourism and economic development associated with the entertainment industry in the State of Georgia. 

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A one-hour television episode on location generates up to $150,000 per day in the local economy, employing local people and supporting the hospitality industry.

Video Gaming

The video gameing industry in Georgia stimulated almost $400M in economic output from 2017-2021.

Concerts and live entertainment created 24,124 jobs in Georgia in the last measurable year. 

Travel and tourism generated more than $4.2B in state and local tax revenue in Georgia (2021).

A typical movie on location spends an average of $50,000-$250,000 per day in the local economy, creating jobs and supporting the hotels, restaurants and retail industries. 

Our Three Initiatives

Support and develop the most efficient and effective collection of entertainment tourism data; 

Support entertainment industry workforce development with a focus on the tourism and hospitality industry;

Optimize and support future entertainment tourism opportunities.

Georgia by the Numbers...

Economic Impact from

Travel and Tourism in Georgia (2022)

Jobs created in Georgia from the

Film and Television Industry alone

Total state and local taxes from

concerts and live entertainment (2019)

State and Local tax revenue

from Travel and Tourism (2021)

New tax revenue generated from

video gaming tax credits 

Travel and Tourism-supported jobs in Georgia (2021)

Total Economic Impact to the State by

Music Concerts and Live Entertainment (2021)

"Discover Dunwoody is excited about the opening of Assembly Studios and the numerous productions that will come as a result. An influx of travelers will flock to experience the unique public access part of the studio. Atlanta has yet to witness anything like this.”

Ray Ezelle 

Executive Director at Discover Dunwoody

Charter Partners

Tourism Web Portal

About the portal.

A technological tool for effective communication between the leading players in the Moscow tourism market and representatives of the foreign/regional tourism industry through online events. OBJECTIVES: • Building long-term cooperation with foreign/regional representatives • Raising awareness among foreign/regional representatives of the tourism industry of the tourism opportunities, measures and attractiveness of the city of Moscow in the field of tourist infrastructure development

Moscow City Tourism Committee

The Tourism Committee, or Mostourism, is the executive body of the Moscow City Government that oversees tourist activities in the capital. The Committee is responsible for legislative initiatives, congress and exhibition activities, and event and image projects. As the brand manager for an attractive tourism image for Moscow, Mostourism constantly analyses global trends, offers Russian and foreign tourists what they want, and also uncovers new opportunities for the capital in terms of interesting and rewarding leisure activities.

ANO «Project Office for the Development of Tourism and Hospitality of Moscow»

Syundyukova Yulia [email protected] Mezhiev Magomed [email protected]

Video materials about Moscow

The Moscow City Tourism Committee Conference for Major Stakeholders from the Indian MICE Market: Key Takeaways

Industry experts from Russia and India spoke at the ‘Shaping MICE Future Conference’ about the future of MICE events in these two nations. Moscow’s MICE potential was also highlighted, and attendees received an analytical report on the state of the outbound MICE market in India. During the panel discussion, participants evaluated the state of the MICE market in India and the unique aspects of its interactions. During the general brainstorming session, they developed proposals for the MICE business in Moscow. To discover new cross-partners in the Moscow business environment and amongst members of the hospitality industry, representatives of the Indian MICE industry took part in B2B negotiations.

Participants in the event from Moscow included MICE industry representatives. Academservice, Headed Goose, Satguru Travel, Isba Rus, Hug the Bear, and Mellenium Group were among the DMCs in attendance, along with representatives from other partners keen on fostering MICE collaboration between Russia and India, including hotels Edge Seligerskaya & Edge Vinogradovo Moscow by Rotana and global transfers provider i’way.

“We have seen a notable increase in the demand for transfers from Russian visitors to India in 2024—more than quadrupling—for business as well as leisure. Since the start of the year, 80% of transfer bookings have come from the capital, indicating that Muscovites are driving the trend. Furthermore, we see that Indian travel agencies are becoming more interested in visiting Russia, which has led to substantial growth in our collaboration,” said Dmitriy Saraykin, co-founder of Global Transfer Provider i’way.

By forming a pool of MICE industry leaders in Moscow, the Moscow City Tourism Committee was able to explain India’s requirements for business and corporate events as well as prioritise incoming requests for events, ultimately fostering mutually beneficial collaboration. This was made possible by the Shaping MICE Future conference. Indian colleagues were provided with current information regarding Moscow as a safe and attractive MICE destination. They also found possible partners among the Russian capital’s MICE industry representatives and showcased the MICE market in India.

“Within the tourism sector, the event presented a remarkable forum for profound discussion and collaboration. Our interactions with important tourism department stakeholders, tour operators, and service providers were made possible by the event. The knowledge acquired from the event confirmed the Moscow City Tourism Committee’s strong interest in the Indian outbound market, and we are optimistic about the city’s promising prospects as a travel destination, especially in the post-pandemic landscape.” Mudit Mathur, Director of Tours Delite India, who is representing Academ Service – Russia in India, shared his thoughts: “We firmly believe that with coordinated efforts and strategic initiatives, Moscow has the potential to emerge as a top-choice destination for Indian tourists.”

The conference also evaluated ways to address foreign demand for unconventional locations and MICE program elements like theatres, parks, and other establishments. It is becoming increasingly common to host MICE events at unique venues like the Moscow Planetarium, the State Historical Museum, and Khudozhestvenny Cinema. This gives attendees a one-of-a-kind experience and draws in conference organisers. While travelling in this way, many visitors who arrived in Moscow on business have expressed a desire to return and spend more time as recreational tourists.

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City of Coralville grants 100% tax abatement for new esports facility development

An esports facility is coming to Coralville.

The first-of-its-kind project will be built near the Lowe's Home Center just north of Highway 6.

The project is part of a development agreement tied to the Highway 6 revitalization plan, which the Coralville City Council approved earlier in April.

Longtime Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth hopes the facility will bring people to Coralville, hopefully transforming the city into a hotspot for esports competitions.

"I think this facility will attract people from all over the Midwest, which is an important part of Coralville's economy," Hayworth said. "Hospitality and entertainment are important parts of what we do in our community, and I think this will be a unique attraction to our area."

Construction crews are hopeful the building will open in 2026, Hayworth said.

More: Ex-Iowa City officer denied reinstatement as trial shows city accepted resignation

What are esports? Where is this facility going to be?

Esports refers to competitive video games, which has surged in popularity in recent years.

The industry has continued to grow and is valued at an estimated $1.64 billion.

Some of the most popular esports games include well-known shooters like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and its sequel title, sports games like EAFC, the successor to the long-time EA Sports soccer game franchise, FIFA, and "battle royale" style games like Fortnite.

Esports are expected to continue to grow, a notion the Coralville City Council factored into their facility approval.

Local high schools in Johnson County, like Liberty High School, Clear Creek Amana, Iowa City West, and Lone Tree, are members of the Iowa High School Esports Association (IAHSEA). The University of Iowa has an Esports arcade in the Iowa Memorial Union and an active esports league .

The Coralville facility will be the first of its kind in Iowa, open to individual gamers and groups. The building will also have the potential to host tournaments and championships . 

Project specifics have not been released.

Justin Myers, the project contractor and owner of Myers Construction, is not ready to release additional information, such as size, cost, or completion date.

While the facility may attract tourists, Coralville's council believes it can also be a community gathering spot.

"More and more high schools and colleges have teams that compete; it's also available and good for all age groups, whether you're young or old," said Hayworth. "I think it is something that our local residents and visitors use. This is a completely new area and something that everybody can make use of."

More: Iowa Board of Regents report recommends keeping Classic Learning Test out of college admissions

Construction, and occupancy will be tax-free

The Coralville City Council chose to exempt Lucky Pete LLC, the new facility and land owners, from paying taxes for 15 years. The abatement covers 100 percent of the taxes that the company would otherwise owe.

The esports company has created a plan to fold the facility into rough terrain that has sat vacant for a number of years.

Coralville's decision to give a 100 percent tax abatement is relatively rare and something the city does not often do, but for this project, it felt necessary, Hayworth said.

"The biggest reason is that it's an unusual site," Hayworth said. "There's a lot of peculiarities in developing that site, and it's been available for a long time; with a unique facility like this, there's some risk to it, and this is one of the ways that the City Council and Mayor felt that we can help."

More: 185 years & counting: Retiree’s new book reveals Iowa City’s amazing history – image after image

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

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