On a cultural high: Indian travellers embrace musicals, operas & lit fests

Jayatri Biswas, a 33-year-old owner of an ice-cream brand from Kolkata, has long been a musical theatre enthusiast. Last year, she flew to Mumbai to watch Mamma Mia! at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). This year, she nearly missed The Phantom of the Opera, but managed to book a last-minute ticket before the show wraps up on Sunday.

“When I heard that NMACC was going to be putting on The Phantom of the Opera, I knew I had to watch it at any cost!” Biswas said. She isn’t alone. Be it Broadwaystyle musicals, operas, fine arts, or literature festivals, Indians are increasingly planning their travel itineraries around ‘high’ cultural experiences.

“Many of my friends now plan their holidays around some cultural event, like a show, theatre production, etc.,” Biswas added, highlighting the shift in travel preferences. This growing demand has boded well for premium hotels in nearby areas.


According to Rikant Pittie, chief executive of EaseMyTrip, “Luxury hotels, catering to theatregoers seeking a refined stay, offer room rates ranging from Rs 7,700 to Rs 24,400 per night. These upscale stays promise an exquisite blend of opulence, comfort and convenience, ensuring an immersive cultural experience beyond the auditorium.

Similarly, during the Jaipur Literature Festival 2025, premium hotel prices reflected the high demand, with room rates ranging from RS 13,500 to Rs 35,786 per night.” The rationale behind the splurge? Pittie said, “Grand cultural events are redefining tourism by drawing travellers who seek more than just sightseeing — they seek experiences that inspire, educate and immerse them in art, heritage and cultural discourse.”

This trend is not limited to the affluent, potentially pointing to the larger democratisation or proletarianisation of ‘high culture’. “Interestingly, with growing aspirations and disposable incomes, demand is not restricted to our HNI-UHNI segment,” said Rajeev Kale, country head, Thomas Cook India.

Social Media Spreading Awareness
“We are also seeing an uptick from the cohort of India’s multi-generational families, young India’s millennials and GenZ, honeymooners and groups of friends,” Kale said. These diverse cohorts are not confined to metropolises either. “Our data indicates a growing interest emerging from markets like Pune, Nagpur, Cochin, Trivandrum and Trichy,” said SD Nandakumar, country head, SOTC Travel.

The changing travel preferences are also evident in how itineraries are structured. “We are witnessing increased appetite for longer stays from 6-7 days to 10-12 days and higher spends of approximately Rs 4-5 lakh per person,” Kale said. Many Indians are also stepping beyond borders to take in these experiences.

Kale said, “Our data highlights a strong interest in highly sought-after experiences like the Berlioz Festival in France, Mozart concerts at the Golden Hall in Vienna and Broadway musical productions like The Lion King, Mamma Mia and Aladdin in London and New York.”

Social media has been key in spreading awareness about unique cultural experiences for travellers seeking personal growth beyond leisure, according to Nandakumar.

Hari Ganapathy, co-founder, Pickyourtrail, has observed a steady rise in interest for tourism pertaining to high culture, with enquiries for these experiences increasing by 6-10% throughout the year. Pointing to the rise of destinations like Florence in Italy for renaissance art, Vienna in Austria for operas and symphonies, Kyoto in Japan for tea ceremonies and Mexico City for indigenous heritage, he said, “Cultural travel is expanding beyond major metros, tapping into lesser-known regions rich in art, history and heritage.”

According to Ganapathy, moving beyond the traditional checklist of tourist destinations, seasoned travellers — those embarking on three to four or more leisure trips abroad — today are redefining the purpose of vacations. “For these well-versed globetrotters, the journey is no longer just about where they go but how they engage with the soul of a destination,” he said.