American Music Tourism Act: Feds Must Now Actively Promote U.S. Music Hotspots to Tourists

The American Music Tourism Act of 2025 is pretty straightforward: it tells the federal government to officially get into the music promotion business. Specifically, it assigns a new job to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism, requiring them to actively identify and promote U.S. locations and events that are important for music tourism, both here and abroad.

The New Gig: Uncle Sam, Music Promoter

Think of this as the government adding “Destination Marketing Manager” to the job description for the Assistant Secretary. Domestically, the bill requires the Commerce Department to pinpoint U.S. cities, venues, and events that are key for music lovers and then help promote travel to those spots. This isn’t just about Nashville or Austin; the bill’s definition of “music tourism” is broad, covering travel to see music-related attractions (like museums or recording studios) or to attend live events (festivals, concerts, etc.). This means a small-town blues museum or a regional bluegrass festival could now be on the federal radar for promotion.

Making International Travel Less of a Headache

For international visitors, the bill focuses on making the U.S. more competitive. While this includes general efforts to smooth the way for international meetings, conferences, and sports events, it specifically mandates that the Assistant Secretary promote international travel to those newly identified U.S. music spots. For instance, if you’re a venue owner in a smaller city, this could mean the Commerce Department is now pitching your town’s music heritage to tour operators in Europe or Asia. The goal is to make it easier and more appealing for foreign tourists to spend their money here, especially by highlighting unique cultural assets like rural areas or heritage sites.

Why This Matters to Your Wallet

This legislation is essentially an economic development bill disguised as a cultural one. When the federal government puts its weight behind promoting specific destinations, it translates to more tourist dollars flowing into those local economies. If you live in a place with a rich music history—say, Memphis, Detroit, or even a smaller town like Muscle Shoals—this could mean more jobs in hospitality, more business for local restaurants, and better funding for preserving those cultural sites. For the average person, this means more economic activity driven by something people already love: live music and cultural history.

Keeping Score: Reporting to Congress

To ensure the Commerce Department actually follows through, the bill includes a mandatory reporting requirement. No later than one year after enactment, and then every two years after that, the Assistant Secretary must send a report to Congress detailing what they’ve done, what they’ve found, and how successful they’ve been in meeting these new domestic and international travel goals (SEC. 2). This biennial check-in provides a mechanism for accountability, forcing the agency to show its work and prove that these new promotional efforts are actually moving the needle on tourism numbers.