Flight Centre Travel Group’s entertainment travel specialist division Stage and Screen warns that 2025 is forecast as another year of festival and music touring challenges unless the industry gets its act together.
Australia has another massive music lineup in 2025 with Drake, Kylie and Luke Combs now touring and the likes of Billie Eilish, Green Day, Dua Lipa, Metallica and Oasis due to hit local stages and impact local travel and economies.
However, with numerous music concert cancellations and incidents in the last year, venue scheduling conflicts, disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty, Stage and Screen General Manager Adam Moon likens music touring to a military operation that requires precision planning.
“Touring is like running a military operation – every detail must be accounted for and you have to be ready to adapt in an instant,” he said.
“And with a stacked calendar of international stars set to headline venues across the country this year, off the back of a rollercoaster year of cancellations, contingency planning is no longer just an advantage – it’s a necessity.”
Unexpected cancellations and incidents hit the Australian music scene hard in the last two years.
Rapper Childish Gambino scrapped his Down Under tour due to a prolonged recovery from surgery and several major Australian music festivals, including Splendour in the Grass, have been postponed or cancelled due to extreme weather conditions.
The unpredictable nature of live performances is evident where logistical, environmental and safety challenges continue to disrupt even the most well-planned music touring and events.
At the same time, rising airfares, unpredictable weather and venue scheduling conflicts have made long-haul music touring across Australia more challenging than ever.
“Promoters and artists need to recognise the market dynamics impacting Australia right now,” Moon said.
“Planning a successful tour requires more foresight than ever. Understanding these factors is key to minimising disruptions otherwise, cancellations will likely follow.”
