New book out on Tourism, Events and Leisure Perspectives on the Eurovision Song Contest

Since its first edition in Lugano in 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest has evolved from a modest experiment in transnational television exchange into one of the world’s most prominent music mega-events. Today, it attracts hundreds of millions of viewers and thousands of travelling fans each year. While Eurovision has frequently been analysed from perspectives of media studies, popular music and politics, its significance as a tourism, events and leisure phenomenon has received comparatively less sustained attention.

The new book on Tourism, Events and Leisure Perspectives on the Eurovision Song Contest will be available in March 2026.

The volume Tourism, Events and Leisure Perspectives on the Eurovision Song Contest, edited by Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta (School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Australia) and Jack Shepherd (European Tourism Research Institute, Mid Sweden University, Sweden), addresses precisely this gap. The book uses Eurovision as a point of departure to explore questions of destination branding, soft diplomacy, LGBTQI+ identities, fan tourism, resident perceptions, and the relationship between media and event management. Hosting the contest is not simply about staging a televised spectacle; it is also a strategic act of image-making and international positioning, embedded in broader debates about culture, politics and public value.

Among the contributions is a chapter by Irving Wolther, Sofia Vieira Lopes, Carla Figueira and Isabel Campêlo titled “‘Soldi’ vs. ‘Have Some Fun’: Volunteer Work in the Eurovision Song Contest”. The chapter examines the complex interplay between professionals, amateurs and volunteers across different areas of the event, including jury assessment, musical performance, media production and the organisation of the contest as a city-wide event. Drawing on long-standing field experience and scholarship on cultural labour and public service media, the authors discuss how volunteering at Eurovision can represent both meaningful participation and a source of ethical tension. In a sector marked by precarious work structures, the chapter situates Eurovision within broader discussions about decent work, symbolic compensation and the responsibilities of public broadcasters in safeguarding public value.

Taken together, the volume demonstrates that Eurovision is far more than a music competition. It functions as a tourism catalyst, a site of cultural diplomacy, and a platform where questions of identity, representation and participation are continuously negotiated. By bringing tourism, events and leisure studies into dialogue with Eurovision research, the book contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the contest’s societal impact.

The book will be officially launched at the next Eurovisions International Conference in Vienna, where contributors and participants will have the opportunity to discuss its perspectives and findings. We look forward to continuing the conversation about Eurovision as a multifaceted event that reflects – and shapes – contemporary cultural and political landscapes.