Hidden Gems of Music Tourism 2026: Volume 1 Is Here
Sound Diplomacy has released the first volume of Hidden Gems of Music Tourism 2026, a global guide to discovering the world's most authentic music destinations, one city at a time.
Music tourism is no longer a niche pursuit. It is a global movement reshaping how destinations attract visitors, generate revenue and build cultural identity. But it is about more than travelling to see a favourite artist play a show in another city. At its core, music tourism is about understanding a place through its music scenes, and connecting with the people who make them what they are. That is the idea behind Hidden Gems.
A New Format for 2026
This year, Hidden Gems returns in a more digestible format. Rather than one substantial guide released annually, the series will roll out across smaller volumes throughout the year, each bringing together a curated collection of one-day music itineraries. The aim is to offer genuine inspiration without an overwhelming list of destinations to work through.
Volume 1 features ten curated itineraries, spanning cities including Kingston upon Hull, Kigali, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, among six others. Each one is written by a local Sonic Gem Seeker, a musician, cultural leader or creative insider who knows their city's music scene from the inside. The result reads less like a conventional travel guide and more like a music-obsessed friend showing you around their hometown, pointing you toward the venues, neighbourhoods, cafés and record stores that define a city's sound.
Why It Matters
Hidden Gems sits within Sound Diplomacy's wider work through the Music Tourism Convention, which connects destinations, artists and travellers around a shared belief: a city's sound says as much about it as anything else. Each itinerary in the guide is designed to move beyond the headline attractions, showing how music connects communities, supports local economies and offers a genuinely different way to experience a destination.
Get Involved
Sound Diplomacy is also inviting contributions to future volumes. Local experts with a story to tell about their city's music scene are invited to submit an itinerary and join the community of Sonic Gem Seekers helping to curate what is fast becoming one of the most comprehensive music itinerary resources available.