With a gen Z who have grown up within Instagrammable units, and make a living consuming all the screens, what they’re more and more happy to pay for is the opportunity to be there. Concert events, music festivals sporting comedy and cultural occasions and immersive experiences are more and more drawing the eye of ‘earlier’ youthful shoppers.
The switch is helping accelerate the era of India’s exploding live-events economy. A report by EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow puts the value of the Indian live-events market at about 13,000 crore, and revealed that 78% of Indian respondents said they prefer to spend on experiences instead of material possessions. The results signal a wider shift in shoppers’ preferences, where unique experiences now form a bigger part of our discretionary spend.
For Gen Z, the attraction of live events extends beyond the event itself. A concert might be a day-trip, a festival could be a reason to visit a new city, and a sporting event could be an occasion to socialise and connect with even more friends. It’s the experiences that people attach to such events that can be shared and talked about for years to come.
Music, in particular, is driving this shift. As per Airbnb’s 2026 Experience-Led Travel Insights, Indian Gen Z respondents will take advantage of their freedom to travel, with 62% having planned to travel for music festivals and concerts in 2026. Airbnb’s research revealed that 76% of these Gen Zrespondents had also travelled to a city more exactly for a concert or festival highlighting the draw of live music.
The impact is not even limited to the event. Many booking a concert ticket also spend money on hotels, transport, eateries, cafes, nightlife, and shopping, delivering a further boost to local establishments. 53% of survey respondents [Gen Z] also said they stayed longer in the location to make the most of the venue. 70% of concert gig attendees said they go in groups and/or with friends.
- The active search for these experiences has shifted due to the role that social media plays. A concert or festival can become a cultural moment before the first act. Pre-event hype can come from videos, fan posts and creator content, getting people excited about an event when they weren’t planning on going and can cause a ‘pre-sold’ customer for younger consumers.
The shift is also transforming brands’ expectations of live events. Rather than showcasing their logos at a venue, brands are more frequently designing experiences that involve audience participation. Per a shared study by the sales service provider BookMyShow and the EY-Parthenon consulting firm, 59% of live event attendees said they remembered brands they engaged with at an event and 55% said they were more likely to buy those brands afterwards.
This experience-first attitude is not just found in major concerts. Young consumers are paying for art galleries and exhibitions workshops adventure pursuits, food interactions, stand up comedy and smaller community-based events. The service or event itself is what appeals, rather than acquiring yet another object.
