Higher ticket prices, smaller festivals and fewer tours are the likely outcomes for music fans in Australia thanks to what is effectively a 300 per cent increase in federal government visa fees, warn the touring industry's peak body and major promoters.

The move by the department of immigration and border protection to reduce some fees but also remove a cap which limited the cost for large touring parties and multi-act festivals has been described as "a money grab" which could cripple the touring scene by veteran promoter Michael Chugg.

"I've never seen government like this: they just don't care," said Chugg. "There is no understanding of our industry at all. It's frightening. There's no interest in learning and they are ignoring requests for meetings and making it really hard."

He's been backed by Evelyn Richardson, chief executive of Live Performance Australia, which represents most elements of the touring infrastructure from venues and promoters to equipment supplies, who said this was "one more government impost on music festivals which are already challenged".