Concerts and music festivals are no longer just entertainment for young Indians. They’re slowly becoming the reason to travel. According to Zostel’s The Sound of the Route Report, one in three Indian travellers are now opts for planning a trip around a music festival rather than opting for a conventional holiday. Read on to know more.
Zostel Report Reveals How Young Indians Prefer Music Festivals
The report also finds that music-led bookings on Zo Trips, Zostel’s experiential travel platform, have increased by 4–5 times year-on-year, pointing out the rapid rise of music tourism in India. While people are travelling across India for festivals, Northeast India emerges as the country’s top music travel hub. Music festival trips now make up for nearly 30% of Zo Trips’ experiential travel offerings, with events like the Cherry Blossom Festival in Meghalaya, Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh, and concert-led experiences driving popularity. The Northeast has emerged as India’s live music travel capital, thanks to its vibrant indie music culture and destination-based festivals.
The report found that 55% of Indian travellers who are booking these trips are between 21 and 28 years old, while 30% fall in the 28–34 age group. Interestingly, nearly 80% travel solo, using festivals as an occasion to meet like-minded people and build new bonds.
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Among the fastest-growing events, Ziro Festival has recorded 7–8 times more bookings in comparison to last year, while the Cherry Blossom Festival is expected to see at least three times more bookings for its 2026 edition.
Music Festival Leading To Longer Trips
Festival travellers are also planning to extend their holidays beyond the event itself. Most book their trips 45–60 days in advance, with specific celebrations seeing bookings several months ahead. The average schedule lasts five to eight nights, allowing travellers to discover the destination alongside the festival.
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According to Zostel, almost 100% of travellers add local experiences such as trekking, cafés, sightseeing and cultural activities to their itinerary. Festival packages usually start at ₹20,000, while premium domestic experiences range between ₹25,000 and ₹45,000. International festival trips, including Tomorrowland, begin at around ₹1.5 lakh.
The Zostel report reveals that as destination festivals stay on track to grow, music tourism is fast becoming one of India’s fastest-growing travel segments.
Cover Image Courtesy: Facebook/Ziro Music Festival
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