Music fans in India are bracing for a rush as British band Coldplay and Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh prepare for their upcoming concerts, and travel bookings increase dramatically. According to a report by online travel agency ixigo, there has been a more than 300% increase in bookings for flights, trains and buses, and concerts have prompted fans to travel between cities.
Coldplay’s performances in Mumbai and Diljit Dosanjh’s shows in Chandigarh and other cities are the main contributors to this increase.
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What is happening?
Grammy Award-winning band Coldplay will perform at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium from January 18 to 21, 2025, as part of their ‘Music of the Spheres’ world tour. Meanwhile, Diljit Dosanjh will hit the stage in Chandigarh this December as part of his DIL-UMINATI India tour.
With fans flocking to these events, travel bookings have increased across various modes of transportation, as noted in ixigo’s report, released Wednesday. The agency has reported sharp increases in searches and reservations for flights, trains and buses to the cities hosting these concerts.
Where are the fans headed?
Mumbai, venue of the Coldplay concert, has seen a 350% year-on-year increase in flight bookings, ixigo revealed. Chandigarh, one of the destinations on Diljit’s DIL-UMINATI tour, saw a 300% year-on-year increase in flight bookings. Other cities where Diljit will perform, including Delhi, Ahmedabad and Indore, have also seen a 100% growth in flight bookings for the concert dates.
“We have seen a significant shift in Indian traveler preferences, with more people willing to spend on experiences like music concerts and festivals,” said Aloke Bajpai, CEO of ixigo Group. “This increase in flight, train and bus bookings shows how music tourism is becoming a powerful force in the country.”
How is travel affected?
Not only flights, but also trains and buses are seeing an increase in demand. Dinesh Kumar Kotha, CEO, ixigo Trains & ConfirmTkt, said: “Coldplay’s concert in Mumbai has driven 800% year-on-year growth in train bookings between January 18 and 21, 2025. Meanwhile, demand of train travel for Diljit’s shows in October and In November, cities like Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru have seen an average month-on-month increase of 85-90%.”
Bus travel is also booming, especially for Diljit concerts. Rohit Sharma, COO, AbhiBus, shared, “Searches for bus tickets to Diljit Dosanjh concert destinations have skyrocketed on our platform. Ahmedabad has shown the highest growth, with searches increasing by 25-38% week on week, followed by Pune and Bengaluru.”
Also, bus searches from cities like Jaipur, Nagpur, Dehradun, Varanasi, Indore, Surat and Kanpur have increased in the run-up to these concert dates.
Impact on prices
With increased bookings comes increased airfares. The ixigo report noted that one-way non-stop flights from Bengaluru to Delhi, which usually cost around Rs 6,500, have now reached Rs 16,000 for October 26. Similarly, a one-way flight from Mumbai to Delhi, which typically costs around Rs. 5,700 in October, will now cost travelers Rs 12,000 on the same date.
The fan frenzy continues
The passion for live performances has sparked a travel frenzy in India. Music fans travel long distances and face high prices to witness these iconic shows. With cities like Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Indore attracting huge crowds, the impact of music tourism is increasingly visible in the country.
First published: October 3, 2024 | 13:56 IS
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