Nashville Owns the Country Music Tourist – Can it Compete Globally With Mega Events?

Nashville has its eyes on hosting the Super Bowl, March Madness Final Four and Wrestle Mania. “Going after mega events” is a key objective, said Deana Ivey, CEO and president of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.

Last year, the city hosted the NASCAR Ally 400, one of the premier NASCAR Cup series events, but Ivey wants more. She expects the new $2.1 billion, 60,000-seat Nissan Stadium with a planned 2027 opening to help.

Ivey, appointed as CEO last year, has been with the bureau since 1997. As chief marketing officer, she helped develop the brand ‘Music City’ to market Nashville as a destination.

With domestic travelers, Nashville has expanded from its image from not only a destination for country music but also one with a variety of music genres like pop and rock over at least the last decade. “It’s changed from just being country music USA to music city,” said Ivey.

But most international visitors that come are country music fans. “It tends to be more of a draw for country music fans because they’re just discovering Nashville,” said Ivey.

One of Ivey’s top priorities has been to attract more international visitors to Nashville. The city expects 453,000 international visitors this year, up by 16% from its 2019 level. By 2026, that number could top half a million.

Most growth has come from Canada, UK, Australia, Germany and France, but Nashville needs more nonstop flights from overseas markets if wants to pick up the pace. It’s only nonstop long haul flight is with London under British Airways.

“The first thing we’re doing is trying to attract more airlift. We need more nonstop flights,” said Ivey.

In the past decade, Nashville has doubled its hotel supply, with 14,000 rooms still in the pipeline. A big source has been growth from luxury brands such as Four Seasons, St. Regis, The Joseph and other brands.

The city received a record 16.8 million visitors who spent more than $10 billion last year, according to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.

New Campaign

Next year, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp is going to roll out a marketing campaign in which celebrities share different ways to enjoy the city beyond its country music scene.

Called “There’s More Than One Way To Play Music City,” the campaign is going to include Bon Jovi, country music singer and songwriter Dierks Bentley, pop punk artist Cassadee Pope and chef Philip Krajeck.

In the ad, the celebrities bring attention to other Nashville experiences. Chef Maneet Chauhan, for example, tells viewers that there are “More ways to add a little spice” at her restaurant, Chauhan Ale and Masala House, which focuses on Indian cuisine.

The campaign won’t launch on digital and broadcast media until next year. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp is waiting until the 2024 elections are over. During the election season, advertising gets more expensive and the news cycle is “cluttered,” said Ivey.