Survey: Stage Set for Return of Live Entertainment in the U.S.

New data from Allianz Partners USA’s 13th annual Vacation Confidence Index shows that Americans are now ready to resume engaging in large-scale entertainment.

According to the company’s latest survey, 55 percent of Americans plan to attend at least one ticketed event by the end of the year, while 16 percent of respondents plan on attending three or more events. 

Before the close of 2021, 43 percent of Americans said they will attend a ticketed event or festival outdoors, while four in 10 (39 percent) respondents indicated they would attend an indoor event. The surge in pro-entertainment interest is driven in part by younger Americans (18- to 34-year-old travelers), with 60 percent noting they are likely to attend an outdoor event, and 57 percent would attend an indoor event.

This marks a stark increase from a virtually non-existent large-scale and ticketed event landscape in 2020. In New York City, the mecca of American theater, after more than 15 months in the dark, about three dozen musicals and plays have announced opening dates in 2021. The majority of theaters will reopen after Labor Day; the return of live theater has been a highly anticipated moment in the reopening of New York City since the last performances in March 2020.

When it comes to measures that would make would-be event attendees comfortable, respondents indicated several measures that would give them a higher level of comfort when purchasing tickets for indoor events, including limiting attendees or providing additional spacing for attendees (36 percent), attendees showing vaccine verification or if unvaccinated, proof of negative COVID test (34 percent), mandatory mask requirement by event organizer (31 percent), having event ticket insurance that would refund the cost of tickets (28 percent) and checking temperature of all employees and guests prior to entering venue (27 percent).

Meanwhile, ticket sales and distribution companies are providing tools to venues to manage their policies to help keep fans and staff as safe as possible. Additionally, ticket providers have rolled out a variety of features to help venues moderate capacity, including socially distanced seating maps and grouped ticketing packages.

The Vacation Confidence Index has been conducted each summer since 2010 by national polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Allianz Partners USA.

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