On Monday, Representative Diana Harshbarger introduced the American Music Tourism Act to the House of Representatives. The proposed legislation aims to enhance music tourism and bolster local economies by promoting visits to music-related venues and festivals across the United States.
Melissa Roberts, Executive Director of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, expressed support for the bill, stating: “This is really just asking the Department of Commerce to really focus on that and bring people not only across the country but from other countries into the United States to see these really cool opportunities about American music.”
The bill mandates that the National Travel and Tourism Office within the Department of Commerce should focus on increasing tourism to music-centric sites. In particular, it may help highlight historical locations in Bristol, known as the birthplace of country music. Roberts further commented on Bristol’s significance: “Talk about what that road looks like from Bristol to Nashville because if it weren’t for Bristol, Nashville wouldn’t be here.”
Local business owner Marla Edwards from Crooked Road General Store emphasized tourists’ desire for immersive experiences: “They don’t just want to come see a 1-hour thing or a 2-hour thing and go back to a hotel or go back to a family member’s house; they want to get out and just search every nook and cranny.”
The initiative is also expected to benefit local musicians by drawing larger audiences. Musician Kris Truelsen remarked: “To get more people in front of you as an artist is so important. The whole idea is to try to get your music out to people and initiatives like this can help send that message that there’s a lot of local music happening that people need to know about.”
Roberts added that increased tourism could have positive economic effects: “They’re gonna be at all the restaurants, they’re gonna stay at all the hotels and that means increased revenue.”
If enacted, the Department of Commerce would be required to report its activities and findings related to this initiative within one year after enactment and biennially thereafter. The bill has now moved on for consideration by the Senate.
