Festivals mean big business for locals
David Scowsill, President and CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council says large events like music festivals are an important income stream for local communities and the host countries.
"Events bring people together, get infrastructure built, create jobs and help galvanize communities into action around a common purpose, and if executed rightly, local businesses are at the center of the creation of these types of events."
The biggest and best musical festivals in Africa
The biggest and best musical festivals in Africa 00:57
They also create jobs.
"In Africa the total contribution of travel and tourism in 2015 was $180.0bn, which made up 8.1% of GDP, and the sector supported 7.2% of total employment, which is 22 million jobs," Scowsill says.
In Malawi the annual Lake of the Stars Festival will kick off this month -- an event that generates over $1 million for the Malawian economy every year, according to the organizers.