Concerts, weekend getaways, expensive dine-outs: Indians are chasing experiences

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Come 14 December and Gaurav Khanna, who runs a furniture business in South Delhi, will experience first-hand the euphoria around Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh at his Dil-Luminati Tour in Chandigarh. Khanna has paid a hefty premium buying tickets from a resale platform to see the star perform live after slots in the national capital sold out quickly.

Last Sunday, Khanna was busy buying tickets for an upcoming Coldplay concert and more than willing to travel from Delhi to catch the British band that is set to tour the country in early 2025. As expected, like millions of fans left waiting in the “queue" to buy tickets, Khanna too ran out of luck. Sold-out concert tickets, quick weekend getaways, reservations for eating at top restaurants—more affluent Indians are chasing experiences even if it means spending beyond their means.

This spending that stretches to travel, live events and dining could reshape how companies market and offer their products. Also read | Carrefour to open 50 food stores in Delhi-NCR in 5 years as it returns to India Live entertainment, be it music concerts, festivals or any other performance act, have become a “mainstay" in the social and cultural fabric of India, said companies. Ticketing and live events platform BookMyShow points to a “seismic" shift in India’s live entertainment landscape, with demand for real-life experiences peaking in 2022 and 2023.

In all, 13 million people logged in to buy tickets on Sunday for the three Coldplay concerts scheduled in January—for which BookMyShow is the official ticketing partner. Ticket prices for the Coldplay show ranged from ₹2,500 to ₹35,000. BookMyShow is also the organizer for Lollapalooza India