Over 50% event-goers travel inter-city as outstation mobility and discretionary spending surge: KPMG-EEMA report
New Delhi, August 10
Outstation travel and targeted discretionary spending emerged as the primary forces shaping event attendance in India, with more than half of attendees traveling outside their home cities to participate in events.
According to a recent KPMG-EEMA report, 54.4 per cent of surveyed visitors traveled from outside their city of residence to attend their most recent event, establishing long-distance movement as a baseline standard for the sector.
The study highlighted significant geographic differences in attendee mobility, revealing that outstation travel was markedly higher among respondents from non-metro locations.
"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," the report said.
The findings showed that travel distances remained sharply divided. While 33 per cent of participants traveled more than 500 km, another 33 per cent traveled entirely within their own city. Personal vehicles served as the primary mode of transport for 31.1 per cent of attendees, while domestic flights accounted for 23.3 per cent.
Accommodation and expenditure patterns reflected dedicated financial commitment from attendees. Overnight stays at or near venue locations were recorded by 52.4 per cent of respondents, with three-to-four-star hotels serving as the preferred choice for 22.3 per cent of the total sample.
"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," the report noted.
Annual expenditure on event-related activities remained under Rs 30,000 for 68.9 per cent of respondents, while a high-spending segment exceeding Rs 1 lakh represented 5.8 per cent of the sample. Meanwhile, entry fees were free for 45.6 per cent of participants.
Demographically, the visitor base comprised predominantly young working professionals. Salaried employees formed 57.3 per cent of the sample, while students accounted for 21.4 per cent. Individuals aged between 25 and 34 represented 47.8 per cent of respondents, and those aged 18 to 24 made up 24 per cent.
Annual household incomes for the largest share of working respondents fell between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 15 lakh.
Professional networking stood out as the leading driver for attendance, chosen by 65 per cent of respondents among their top three reasons, outranking general entertainment at 50.5 per cent.
On the demand side, work and time constraints proved to be the primary barrier to attendance for 34 per cent of respondents, followed by ticket prices at 29 per cent.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The KPMG report confirms what many of us in the events industry have been seeing — people are willing to spend on experiences now more than ever. But 68.9% spending under Rs 30,000 shows most are still budget-conscious. Young professionals like me see events as investments in networking, not just fun. Good to see data backing that up!
Fascinating insights on Indian mobility patterns. The 500+ km travel for one-third of attendees shows the growing importance of destination events. As someone who organises conferences, this tells me we need better hybrid options too — 34% citing time constraints can't be ignored.
Honestly, this report reflects a bigger trend — India's youth are prioritising experiences over material possessions. But let's not ignore that ticket prices are still a major barrier for 29% of people. We need more free or subsidised events to make this truly democratic. 😊
The fact that 45.6% had free entry gives me hope! Events shouldn't be just for the well-off. Also love that networking tops entertainment as a reason — our generation wants to grow, not just chill. 🙌
Great report but a bit concerning that only 5.8% are high spenders (Rs 1 lakh+). This suggests events might still be a middle-class luxury. For the industry to truly scale, we need to make events accessible — maybe more sponsorship, corporate tie-ins, and tiered pricing models would help.
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