Experience-Led Tourism Is Gaining Momentum Among India’s Gen Z

Updated on January 8, 2026

Experience-led tourism is rapidly redefining the way India’s Gen Z travels. Unlike previous generations that prioritised sightseeing and luxury, today’s young travellers are chasing memories, emotions, and immersive experiences. With rising disposable incomes and a strong influence of pop culture, Gen Z in India is transforming travel from a destination-focused activity into a purpose-driven journey.

Why Gen Z Is Choosing Experiences Over Destinations

India’s Gen Z is increasingly valuing “what they feel” over “what they own.” Travel is no longer about ticking landmarks off a checklist; it is about stories worth sharing, moments worth reliving, and experiences that align with personal identity. This shift is visible across industries, from fashion and beauty to hospitality and tourism.

According to recent reports, a significant portion of India’s Gen Z is deeply influenced by music. Concerts, live shows, and festivals have emerged as powerful travel motivators, often dictating when, where, and how young travellers plan their trips.

Music-Driven Travel: The New Tourism Trigger

Music has become one of the strongest forces shaping Gen Z travel trends in India. Live performances and global tours are no longer just entertainment events—they are travel catalysts. Young travellers are planning entire trips around concerts, exploring new cities and cultures as a by-product of attending live shows.

This trend has given rise to:

• Concert tourism, where travel revolves around music events
• City discovery through live performances, rather than traditional sightseeing
• Cross-border travel, with Indian Gen Z travellers flying internationally, including long-haul destinations like the USA, for once-in-a-lifetime music experiences

How Experience-Led Tourism Is Changing Travel Choices

Experience-led travel has shifted Gen Z preferences in several ways:

• Event-first planning: Trips are booked around concerts, festivals, and cultural events
• Short but meaningful getaways: Quality experiences matter more than trip duration
• Social-media-worthy moments: Experiences that can be shared visually and emotionally
• Emotional connection: Music and live events create deeper bonds with destinations

For Gen Z, a concert in a new city often becomes a gateway to discovering local food, neighbourhoods, nightlife, and communities—turning a single event into a holistic travel experience.

What This Means for the Travel Industry

The rise of experience-led tourism presents a major opportunity for travel brands, hospitality businesses, and destination marketers in India. Curated travel packages around concerts, festivals, and cultural events can strongly appeal to Gen Z travellers. Hotels, airlines, and travel platforms that align themselves with music, culture, and experiences are more likely to capture this growing market.

The Future of Gen Z Travel in India

As Gen Z continues to prioritise passion-driven journeys, experience-led tourism is expected to dominate India’s travel landscape. Music, art, wellness, and community-driven events will increasingly influence travel decisions, blurring the line between entertainment and tourism.

For India’s Gen Z, travel is no longer an escape—it is an extension of identity, emotion, and self-expression. And at the heart of this transformation lies the power of experiences that last far beyond the journey itself.