IT is the city of Simple Minds, Wet Wet Wet, Alex Harvey, Mogwai and Texas.
And now Glasgow can rival world-famous cities such as New Orleans and Nashville if it "unlocks its potential" for marketing itself as a city that produces, celebrates and is a world-famous stage for music, a new report says.
Live music generates £160m a year for the city, new figures show, and attracts 1.4 million fans but only 2% of gig-goers travel from outside Scotland and book hotel accommodation there.
An action plan, to be delivered to the Scottish Music Industry Association, Scottish Enterprise and the SSE Hydro today, will list a series of measures to market Glasgow internationally as a centre of music-making and performance.
Glasgow is officially a Unesco City of Music, but a report, 'Growing the Value for Music Tourism in Glasgow' says this title is "poorly used and largely unrecognised."
However, the report contends that there is scope to greatly increase international visitor numbers, lengthen their visits and increase their spending.
A new action plan has been put together by 50 tourism, event, marketing and fashion students at Glasgow Caledonian University and has more than 20 recommendations, including marketing drives to highlight iconic venues such as King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, the Barrowland Ballroom, and the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, home of Stan Laurel’s first stage performance.
Its best ideas will be taken forward by Scottish Enterprise.
Plans include creating dedicated music districts across the city, launching interactive digital maps, promoting live music at Glasgow Airport, techno tours, and a Glasgow Music Subway Trail.
Dougal Perman, chair of the Scottish Music Industry Association and a member of the panel, said: "Glasgow is a world-class, world-renowned city of music. Now we just need to tell the world.
"Music tourism makes a significant contribution to the economy but most of the money spent on music events in the city comes from locals.
"Glasgow’s high reputation at home and abroad is undervalued and under-exploited.
"There is great potential but more work needs to be done to learn from the experience of others and to design practical affordable and cost-effective interventions which would command the support of the industry."
Claire Bereziat, lecturer in International Tourism Management at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "Everybody wants to play Glasgow and the crowds are famous throughout the world but we need to promote the stories behind our venues, and the thriving scene, to capitalise on that reputation."
Mick Cooke, of Belle and Sebastian, said: “I’m surprised music tourism to Glasgow isn’t stronger considering how vibrant the music scene is here.
“It’s recognised globally, even being award UNESCO City of Music status.
“More needs done from a marketing point of view.”
Bruce Findlay, the long time manager of Simple Minds, as well as China Crisis and The Silencers, said Glasgow already has a strong reputation for music and is wary of any “cheesy” campaigns.
He said the international reputation of the annual Celtic Connections alone cements the city’s status as a world-player in music.
He added: “Glasgow does deserve this – but I would be careful of comparisons, because Nashville is all about one kind of music – country.
"Glasgow is far more eclectic, there has been a lot of highly individual artists - I would include The Blue Nile, Simple Minds of course, Wet Wet Wet, and in recent times Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian. You can go back to Alex Harvey, and Stone the Crows, a great band ahead of their time.
“What has really given the city world standing is Celtic Connections, which is a world class festival and on a par with anything else out there.
“Years and years ago there was a campaign ‘Costa Del Clyde’, how cheesy is that? So I would be careful."
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