Concerts and festivals drive new travel trends among young Indians

Music is increasingly shaping how young Indians travel. A new Airbnb Experience-Led Travel Report shows that Gen Z are planning trips around concerts and festivals, using live events as a way to discover new cities and spend more time exploring them.In 2026, 62% of Gen Z plan to travel for concerts and music festivals, and more than one in three start planning a trip as soon as they hear about an event. Travel decisions are now driven less by fixed holiday periods and more by cultural experiences. Over 40% are even willing to travel internationally for concerts, with destinations across the USA, Europe and Asia being considered.Concerts are also influencing how young people explore destinations. 65% prefer to stay close to event venues, and 53% extend their trips to visit local cafés, nightlife spots, cultural spaces and neighbourhoods.

This has helped local businesses and encouraged tourism beyond main centres. 76% said they had visited a city for the first time because of a concert or festival.Spending patterns show how important these trips have become. Many young travellers are willing to use a large part of their monthly income on music-led travel. On average, respondents spent ₹51,000 on their most recent event-led trip.Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Airbnb’s Country Head for India and Southeast Asia, said, “Growing interest in music concerts and festivals has paved the way for a new kind of traveller - someone who sees music as a gateway to discovering new destinations… This emerging form of exploration is reshaping traveller behaviour, driving a rising demand for stays that allow groups to spend time together, gather comfortably, and create memorable shared experiences, which is perfectly aligned with what Airbnb offers.

”The report suggests that for Gen Z, concert travel is no longer occasional. It is becoming a planned part of how they choose where to go and how they experience new places.