Sunny Hill Festival, one of the largest festivals in the region, has been awarded the Economic Impact Award 2025 by the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, as part of the gala evening “THE BEST OF KOSOVA 2025”. The festival was recognized for its direct contribution to economic development and for the important role it has played in strengthening Kosovo’s positive image internationally, through music and the creative industry.
As a music festival, Sunny Hill has created a platform where music, culture and creativity come together, promoting talent and strengthening Kosovo’s connection to the global music industry scene. In addition to its artistic and cultural value, Sunny Hill Festival has also had a direct economic impact. The organization of the festival has generated significant benefits for various sectors, including tourism, hospitality, gastronomy, transport and support services.
The economic impact is estimated to be around 22 million euros, while the media impact is estimated at hundreds of millions of euros, with over 150 accredited media outlets from around the world.
This year’s edition has gathered over 100 thousand visitors during the three days of the festival, from nearly 60 different countries around the world. Hotels in Pristina and the surrounding cities have been 99% booked. This year, the organizers have also launched the “Sunny Hill Travel” platform, which promotes tourism and stays in Kosovo, while during the festival its users have been able to benefit from accommodation packages, which also include tickets and transportation.
Representatives of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce emphasized that the Sunny Hill Festival represents a successful model of how cultural and musical events can become engines of economic development and cultural diplomacy.
This year, the Festival featured big names such as Dua Lipa, who performed as part of her “Radical Optimism” tour, the biggest and most successful tour of her career to date. She has also achieved great success on the Spotify platform, where she has around 40 billion total streams. The albums “Future Nostalgia” and “Radical Optimism” top these figures, while hits such as “Don’t Start Now” and “Levitating” each have over a billion streams, proving that she is one of the biggest global artists, with millions of active listeners every day.
Also performing were Shawn Mendes, one of the biggest names in global pop music, who returned strongly this year with his “On The Road Again” tour; Peggy Gou, one of the most respected and influential figures in the global electronic music scene; Anyma, internationally known for his innovative incorporation of visual and technological elements into his DJ performances; and Fatboy Slim, known for his classic hits and decades-long career.
Other well-known international and local artists have also taken to the festival stages, such as: Calvin Harris, J Balvin, Martin Garrix, Action Bronson, Skepta, Burna Boy, Miley Cyrus, Bebe Rexha, Stormzy, Black Coffee, The Martinez Brothers, and many others.
This year, the festival has also been nominated for Best in Europe in the Medium Festival category by the “European Festival Awards.” Last year, in the same category, it managed to rank among the top five festivals. /Telegraph/