Concerts and music festivals attracted 7.6 million visitors last year, in the nine months that coronavirus restrictions were lifted.

The figures, put together by sector association VNPF, come from 48 concert halls and the organisers of 55 different festivals.

The lifting of restrictions in March led to a “surge” in events, the VNPF said. In 2019, before coronavirus, organisers sold some 8.6 million festival and concert tickets.

Nevertheless, the association said it is concerned about the rising costs which organisers are facing, from energy and personnel to the prices artists are charging. In total, costs were up 8% last year compared with 2019.

Earlier this month the organisers of the massive free Parkpop festival in The Hague said there would be no more editions beause of the mounting costs.

The festival, which first took place in 1981, attracted some 200,000 visitors. This year’s edition had already been cancelled.