Don't just sell the attraction - build the trip around it

Grant Thornton’s Tom Middleton says the rise of immersive entertainment is changing how travel is generated, not just how it’s spent. He pointed to major “pull” events, citing Visit London data ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour London dates: flight bookings rose up to 34% versus the prior year, and hotel searches were four times higher in the week before the August leg. UK Music also reported 2.1 million overseas music tourists linked to UK concerts and festivals in 2025, in a £11.2 billion music tourism market. But he argued the behavior extends beyond stadium-scale trips, noting that 31% of UK adults are willing to travel for immersive experiences and that more than half of recent attendees made a dedicated journey. Examples include London’s Abba Voyage, with four million visitors since 2022 across 1,415 shows, and Tokyo’s teamLab Borderless reaching four million visitors since opening at its 2024 location, drawing visitors from over 185 countries and regions. Middleton said these experiences are permanent attractions with intellectual property that can anchor destinations and be sold years in advance.