Tomorrowland, the hugely popular European electronic dance music (EDM) festival, will stage its first-ever full-fledged Asia edition in Thailand this December. The country was chosen for its growing influence on the global stage of music, innovation, and experience-driven tourism, Tomorrowland said on Tuesday.
Founded 20 years ago by Belgian brothers Manu and Michiel Beers, Tomorrowland has become one of the world's iconic celebrations of EDM. Its annual Belgian edition often features ambitious, creative stages and wild parties that draw music lovers from across the globe.
Organizers are expecting more than 50,000 attendees each day in the Thai beach town Pattaya from December 11 to 13.
Pre-registration for tickets begins on January 8. A full madness pass covering all three days of the festival will cost 12,500 baht ($400; £300) while a single-day pass will be at 5,100 baht. More details on the festival's theme and line-up will be announced soon.
Despite having held events in various Asian cities, this will be the first time Tomorrowland will conduct an entire festival on the continent at a scale similar to its Belgian flagship event. Thailand has finalized an agreement with Tomorrowland to host the event for five years, with an expected economic impact of 21bn baht ($673m; £497m) over this period.
Expanding Tomorrowland to a new continent is a milestone we approach with great respect and excitement... This is the beginning of a long-term story, said Tomorrowland's CEO Bruno Vanwelsenaers.
In recent years, Thailand has emerged as a strong contender in the live music scene. The country hosted international music festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival and Creamfields, and Bangkok was a stop on K-pop band Blackpink's world tour last October. Additionally, the homegrown music and arts festival Wonderfruit is gaining popularity, attracting thousands annually.
