Trump Signs American Music Tourism Act Into Law

President Donald Trump has signed the American Music Tourism Act into law, marking a win for the US music industry. The US Department of Commerce will now promote international and domestic travel to music tourism hotspots throughout the country.

The details:

• This recent law builds on the Visit America Act by including music tourism under the purview of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism.

• The bill also defines music tourism under federal law.

• Music tourism can relate to a variety of destinations, including museums, studios, and venues, as well as all manner of live performances.

• The Assistant Secretary will report to the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee within a year to share findings on how this increased emphasis has affected overall music tourism. From there, reports will come every two years.

• This was a bipartisan bill, led by Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn and Colorado Democrat John Hickenlooper in the Senate.

• Various music industry organizations, including the Recording Academy, BMI, ASCAP, the RIAA, Global Music Rights, and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), endorsed the bill.

What they said:

• Blackburn: “The Volunteer State is home to so many iconic landmarks for tourists to experience – from Graceland in Memphis to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. Music tourism has such a positive impact on Tennessee’s economy, and we need to ensure that fans from all over the world continue to celebrate our state’s rich history of music for generations to come. The American Music Tourism Act will promote and support the fast-growing tourism industry, and I am pleased it has been signed into law by President Trump.”