3 weeks ago
Over half of India's event-goers travel inter-city: KPMG-EEMA report
A big new report studied why people in India go to events like concerts, shows, and conferences.
It found that more than half of event-goers travel from another city to get there.
People from smaller Tier-2 cities travel even more often than people from big Tier-1 cities.
One-third of attendees travel very far, more than 500 kilometers.
Most people use their own cars, and many others take flights.
More than half of attendees stay overnight in hotels near the event.
For many people, the event is the only reason for their whole trip.
Most event-goers are young working people, especially those aged 25 to 34.
People mostly go to events to meet and network with other professionals.
The biggest reasons people do not attend are work schedules and ticket prices.
54.4% of surveyed event attendees travelled from outside their city of residence to attend their most recent event.
Outstation travel was higher among Tier-2 city respondents (74.2%) than Tier-1 city respondents (45.7%).
33% of participants travelled more than 500 km, while 33% travelled entirely within their own city.
Personal vehicles (31.1%) and domestic flights (23.3%) were the leading transport modes, and 52.4% stayed overnight at or near venues.
Professional networking was the top attendance driver (65%), while work and time constraints (34%) and ticket prices (29%) were the main barriers.
- Who
- Surveyed event attendees in India, predominantly young salaried professionals aged 25-34.
- What
- A KPMG-EEMA report found that 54.4% of event attendees travelled from outside their home city, with outstation travel and discretionary spending shaping event attendance.
- Where
- India.
- When
- Report published on August 10, 2026.
- Why
- Events are driving inter-city mobility and spending, with professional networking the leading reason for attendance.
Key facts
- Outstation attendees
- 54.4% travelled from outside their city of residence
- Tier-2 vs Tier-1 travel
- 74.2% of Tier-2 respondents travelled outstation vs 45.7% of Tier-1 respondents
- Travelled over 500 km
- 33% of participants
- Top transport modes
- Personal vehicles 31.1%, domestic flights 23.3%
- Overnight stays
- 52.4% stayed at or near venue; 22.3% preferred 3-4 star hotels
- Event as sole purpose
- 51.5% said the event was the sole purpose of their trip
- Leading attendance driver
- Professional networking (65%), followed by general entertainment (50.5%)
- Top attendance barriers
- Work and time constraints (34%), ticket prices (29%)
Quotes
KPMG-Event and Entertainment Management Association report
KPMG-Event and Entertainment Management Association (KPMG‑EEMA) report
“Outstation travel was higher among respondents from Tier‑2 cities, with 74.2 per cent travelling outside their city to attend events, compared with 45.7 per cent of respondents from Tier‑1 cities”
thehindubusinessline.com
“For 51.5 per cent of respondents, the event was the sole purpose of their trip, and 53.4 per cent attributed 100 per cent of their total trip cost to the event”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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