Cover Steve Angello performs live on stage during the third day of the Tomorrowland music festival at Parque Maeda Itu on April 23, 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo: Getty Images)
Steve Angello performs live on stage during the third day of the Tomorrowland music festival at Parque Maeda Itu on April 23, 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo: Getty Images)
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While Thailand announces bold tourism initiatives like hosting mega music festivals such as Summer Sonic and Tomorrowland, where does Malaysia fit in the discussion of live entertainment industry?
In the dynamic landscape of international music festivals and concerts, Malaysia’s stance and the broader implications for its entertainment and tourism sectors have come into focus, especially in light of Thailand’s ambitious plans to host major global music events.
The recent announcement by the Thai government that Thailand will be hosting Summer Sonic, a renowned music festival traditionally held in Japan, for the first time in Southeast Asia on August 24 and 25 in Bangkok, and Tomorrowland, one of the biggest electronic dance music festivals, in 2026 for potentially ten consecutive years, signals a significant push to boost tourism through the creative industry.
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Above Taylor Swift performing in Singapore (Photo: Getty Images)
Taylor Swift performing in Singapore (Photo: Getty Images)
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The motivation behind Thailand’s aggressive move into the international music scene is partly sparked by its exclusion from Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, which chose Singapore as its only Southeast Asian stop. Swift’s concert in Singapore reportedly generated a significant economic boost, prompting discussions in neighbouring countries about the potential benefits of hosting similar large-scale events. In Malaysia, this development has reignited the debate on the economic advantages of embracing international concerts and festivals.
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Industry insiders in Malaysia, such as Ben Law, founder and director of Future Sound Asia (FSA), recognise the positive impact that such events can have on tourism, drawing parallels to the effects seen from events like the Good Vibes Festival, which FSA organises.
“It will definitely boost tourism for the country as we have seen how the effect of Taylor Swift can have. Good Vibes Festival attracts about 15-20 per cent of tourists coming from abroad,” he says.
Conversely, Iqbal Ameer, group CEO of Livescape and vice president of Arts, Live Festival and Events Association (ALIFE) said despite it being a great initiative and bold move, it might have unexpected repercussions as it has the potential to impact the local music festivals and events. “There are many great festivals and events that are happening in Thailand, and their rice bowls might be affected by this move,” he says.
Iqbal also noted how artist and production fees might be escalated which will ultimately be passed down to the consumers. “The people that are going to lose out are the fans because they are going to be paying through their nose for ticket prices,” says Iqbal.
A critical challenge they highlight is the lack of government support, which they deem crucial for attracting and sustaining international performers and festivals. “We used to have strong bodies such as Malaysia Major Events (MME) that helped organisers in the country to elevate the industry. MME supported the Good Vibes Festival during the early years and has helped us a lot. Unfortunately, they are no longer in operations,” Law adds.
Iqbal echoes this sentiment adding that talent and infrastructure are abundant locally but the main challenges are the inconsistency and red tape that surrounds the effort in making these events happen. “We are also at the mercy of individual opinions by politicians and civil servants. This is not stable,” he says.
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Iqbal Ameer underscores the impact of hosting international events, reminiscing about the regional buzz generated by the Future Music Festival Asia in Kuala Lumpur during the early 2010s which saw a considerable influx of tourists and economic activity. “ We brought it to Malaysia with the help of MME and the regional impact was insane. We have 20 per cent of tourists arriving and we were doing about 55,000 people. They spent an average of RM700 a day and stayed in Malaysia for an average of nine days.”
“The government should see the tremendous tourism and economic impact that concerts and festivals can bring to the country and act now before we are left too far behind,” Law adds.
However, Iqbal also suggests that the government could take a different approach and support local music festivals instead of internationally branded ones. “We should be investing in our local IPs. Music festivals such as Good Vibes Festival or Rockaway have built their brands, and we should amplify them,” he says. Iqbal also references Its the Ship, a festival organised by Livescape, “We’ve been running it out of Singapore for ten to 12 years, and the Singapore Tourism Board has been very helpful. Now we’re able to bring that brand overseas, like Korea, as well as other markets. It’s a better allocation of funds.”
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Sim Wie Boon is the general manager of Tatler Malaysia. Previously the print and digital editor, Sim hails from the land of the hornbills, Sarawak. Sim is now based in Kuala Lumpur and brings more than a decade of experience in the media industry as a journalist and broadcast producer.
As a self-proclaimed geriatric millennial, he appreciates the finer things in life, from savouring a sip of single malt whisky to relishing in the deliciousness of char siew. While reminiscing about the indie-sleaze era, Sim now finds solace in the soothing tunes of ambient music, staying active through running and occasionally succumbing to the addictive world of doom scrolling.
Follow him on Instagram or Threads at @simwb
