TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung’s tourism bureau said it is working to build a “concert economy” on Thursday (Sept. 19) as it touted the 108 shows held in the city so far this year. 

The city’s tourism bureau said the concerts had attracted more than 1.18 million people to the city in 2024, creating NT$3.9 billion (US$122.5 million) in tourist revenue, per CNA. It said the average occupancy rate of the city’s tourist accommodation is between 80% and 90% during concert periods.

The tourism bureau said that to continue building its concert based economy it has created discount schemes with 86 accommodation providers. Ticket stubs can be exchanged for cheaper room rates around concert times at hotels including Royal Group Hotels, Chateau de Chine Hotel Kaohsiung, and others.

In addition to hotel discounts, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said arts and cultural venues will offer discounts to concert goers. Chen said the discounts are designed to keep visitors in the city for other tourist activities after they have been to concerts.

Performances from UK group Take That, South Korean boy band Stray Kids, and more than 20 other concerts are scheduled for Kaohsiung in the remainder of 2024, the tourism bureau said. US singer songwriter Charlie Puth will also perform there in December, followed by US pop band Maroon 5 in February 2025.