Music-led experiences shaping India’s Gen Z travel culture

Music has quietly become one of the most powerful forces shaping travel choices among young Indians. Airbnb’s new Experience-Led Travel Insights¹ reveal that Gen Z are increasingly planning trips around live concerts and festivals, turning gigs into gateways for discovering new cities, extending stays and spending time exploring local neighbourhoods well beyond the main event.

For this generation, travel decisions are being driven less by calendars and more by culture. Live events and IRL experiences are influencing where they go, who they travel with and how deeply they engage with the destination.

Music is defining the way young India travels – and discovers

In 2026, music is set to play an even bigger role in shaping travel behaviour, with 62% of Gen Z planning trips around concerts and music festivals. This intent is already reflected in their current behaviour: more than one in three (36%) start planning their trip as soon as they hear of an event.

Unlike traditional travel patterns driven by seasonality, holidays or long weekends, young travellers are prioritising experiences. Their top motivations include the chance to explore a new destination and the excitement of being part of a once-in-a-lifetime cultural moment.

A clear indication of how central music is to travel for young Indians: how they are willing to cross literal oceans to watch their favourite artists perform live. Over 40% are willing to travel internationally for an event, with destinations across the USA (48%), Europe (45%) and the rest of Asia (46%) featuring equally in their consideration.

Concert-led travel  boosts local economies and tourism dispersion

While concerts and festivals may be the anchor, their impact extends far beyond the venue. 65% of Gen Z travellers prefer staying close to event locations, which often become starting points for deeper exploration.

More than half (53%) of them extend their trip spending time – and money –  in local cafés, nightlife, cultural spaces, gigs and neighbourhoods; supporting local businesses and communities. This effect is amplified by social travel patterns, with 70% attending concerts with friends or groups. 

Their spending patterns also reflect the importance of these experiences. Six in ten young travellers are willing to allocate 21–40% of their monthly income to music-led travel and experiences, with one in ten willing to spend up to half their monthly income. On average, respondents spent ₹51,000 on their most recent event-led trip.

Concert tourism is also a significant avenue for dispersing tourism, with 76% of respondents saying they had visited a city for the first time because of a concert or music festival, highlighting how live events are introducing young Indians to new cities, neighbourhoods and cultural districts.

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 traveler – someone who sees music as a gateway to discovering new destinations. At Airbnb, we’re seeing how concert tourism is opening up entire neighborhoods and communities to young travelers, and the meaningful impact this creates. This emerging form of exploration is reshaping traveler behavior, 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.”

Concert tourism as a deliberate lifestyle choice

What was once an occasional indulgence is now a planned part of young India’s lifestyle. Concert-led trips are being budgeted for, planned in advance and designed to maximise both experience and exploration.

Large-format festivals like Lollapalooza India illustrate this shift, with tens of thousands of fans travelling to Mumbai for previous editions. 62% of attendees say the festival’s atmosphere keeps them coming back, and 98% express intent to return, signalling how music-led travel is fast becoming a mainstream cultural behaviour.

Building on this momentum, Airbnb has partnered with Lollapalooza India as part of its first-ever global live music partnership, offering guests one-of-a-kind fan experiences and stays that bring them closer to the music they love at the 2026 edition, taking place in Mumbai on January 24–25 at Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

As live moments continue to shape how young Indians move through cities, Airbnb’s Experience-Led Travel insights point to a future where culture, community and connection are central to how travel is planned  and experienced.

¹ Methodology – The Airbnb Experience-Led Travel Insights report was conducted by YouGov in November 2025 and surveyed 1,102 Gen Z (aged 18–28) respondents across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Chandigarh and Guwahati using YouGov’s proprietary online panel and quota-based sampling.