music parties in the world,

hundreds of thousands of

festival goers flock to

Tomorrowland in Belgium during

two jam-packed weekends of live

electronic dance music.

But like many large-scale live music festivals,

music is just one part of

business at Tomorrowland.

So we are walking into the festival,

it is literally stepping into the world of tomorrow,

the whole festival here is cashless.

To make purchases you'll need a wristband,

which is also your ticket in.

By the way these wristbands

they can get pretty expensive.

How much did you pay for that one?

I paid like 790 euros.

That's a lot of money.

Concessions are valued in Tomorrowland's

own virtual currency, called pearls.

So the cost for popcorn is three pearls,

which is about five euros.

But forget carnival food like

hotdogs and fries.

Here you can get healthy

options like organic salad from

a local Belgian farmer,

or frozen yogurt with fresh fruit,

or gourmet diners can enjoy

a three-course tasting menu

from a world-class chef,

while still dancing to the

beats of a popular DJ.

Music festivals like Tomorrowland

are increasingly catering

to a high-end audience with a wide range

of luxurious add-on options.

Here in DreamVille,

Tomorrowland guests can opt for

a VIP experience with their own

cabanas for the weekend.

It'll set you back around 2000 euros,

but you get your on bed, jacuzzi and

even a 24-hour reception desk.

If dancing to the music isn't

enough of a workout for you,

you can still break a sweat

here at the gym on site.

The luxury accommodations are a

big shift from the scene at

festivals like Woodstock

nearly 50 years ago.

World famous DJ Armin van Buuren

says Tomorrowland has its own counterculture.

I think this is the Woodstock of 2017.

It's a cultural movement,

it's beyond the festival.

It's a music festival combined

with a theme park,

combined with a food festival,

combined with a cultural event.

Festivals like Tomorrowland are

one way businesses and artists

are reaching a younger generation

choosing to spend major cash

on once-in-a-lifetime experiences -

all captured online.

Those people if they like you,

they'll become new fans or

friends and they'll follow you,

they'll share it.

Tomorrowland's growth has been

explosive since the festival

launched in 2005.

400,000 people attend during

two weekends and tickets sell out in minutes.

The festival has put Belgium in

the global spotlight with the

prime minister taking a front

row seat to the show this year.

You can choose from 16 different stages here

featuring some of the biggest names in

electronic dance music.

As an artist,

when you look out and you see

people holding up flags and you

see flags from all kinds of countries,

this is the most international festival out there.

Tomorrowland is trying to capitalize

on its global popularity,

but the festival has

struggled to replicate its

success outside of Belgium.

A Tomorrowland concert in Barcelona this year

was canceled when the stage caught fire

from a technical malfunction.

Separate Tomorrowland and

TomorrowWorld festivals

launched in Brazil and the U.S.

were shut down after a couple of years.

Organizers say it can be challenging

to pair with local agencies

who just don't have as much festival experience.

Tomorrowland is a very difficult festival

because we need lots of manpower to do it.

Lots of energy, lots of time,

and you cannot do this in one year.

We really need the time to make it

good in other countries, too.

Smaller music festivals can

have a hard time keeping up to create

one-of-a-kind experiences like this.

That's why a couple of companies

are dominating the music festival market.

Live Nation and AEG run some

of the world's biggest music festivals

like Lollapalooza in Chicago

and Coachella in Indio, California.

They have the resources to take

risks independent festivals can't.

Tomorrowland is still run by

its founding team, but the

festival experience has come a

long way from its first show

more than a decade ago.

When you think about how far

music festivals have come over the years,

it's just amazing.