As India advances towards becoming a leading consumption-driven and experience-led economy, the events and experiences industry is emerging as an increasingly important contributor to the nation’s economic and social landscape.
The report, ‘Socio-economic impact of the Indian events and experiences industry’, developed by KPMG in India in collaboration with the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) and supported by insights from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), was released at EEMAGINE 2026. The report examines the sector’s contribution to economic activity, employment generation, tourism, destination development, and the orange economy.
The study draws on secondary research from government sources, industry bodies, academic research and global benchmarks; interactions with EEMA and other relevant stakeholders; primary survey data from event visitors and organisers; analysis of 108 unique events attended by over 18 lakh attendees; and an economic impact model capturing direct, indirect and induced effects. The report applies a Direct-Indirect-Induced (DII) framework to assess the economic contribution of representative event categories across the industry.
India’s events and experiences industry sits at the intersection of commerce, culture and community. Events create concentrated demand that activates local economies, drives visitor spending, supports livelihoods and enhances the attractiveness of destinations. Their impact extends beyond the event itself, generating value across hospitality, travel, retail, logistics, media, technology and a broad ecosystem of micro, small and medium enterprises.
The report further highlights how advances in digital technologies, AI-enabled engagement, hybrid event formats and sustainability-focused practices are reshaping the industry. At the same time, it identifies key priorities for unlocking the sector’s full potential, including streamlined regulatory frameworks, investment in event-ready infrastructure, strengthened skilling pathways, and enhanced protections for its large contractual and gig workforce.
Vivek Agarwal, Partner and Lead, Industrial and Infrastructure Development, Government and Public Services and Head – Public Infrastructure, KPMG in India said “India’s events and experiences industry has become an increasingly important contributor to the nation’s economic and social landscape. From live entertainment and business conventions to sporting events, cultural festivals, exhibitions and celebrations, the sector serves as a powerful catalyst for consumption, tourism, employment and community engagement. As India continues its journey towards becoming a leading consumption-driven and experience-led economy, the sector has the potential to serve as a strategic lever for growth, innovation and global positioning.”
Aalap Bansal, Partner – Industrial and Infrastructure, Development Advisory (IIDA), Government and Public Services, KPMG in India said “The findings reinforce what industry stakeholders have long understood: experiences are becoming an increasingly important part of modern life. As aspirations evolve and demand for meaningful, immersive and shared experiences continues to grow, the industry is uniquely positioned to contribute to India’s next phase of growth. The opportunity before us is not simply to deliver more events, but to build a globally recognised experience economy that supports entrepreneurship, strengthens destinations, generates livelihoods and showcases India’s unique ability to create experiences at scale.”
Key highlights from the report include:
• India’s event economy spans several large, economically distinct ecosystems, including INR ~46,739 crore of organised MICE activity, INR ~13,600 crore in organised live events, INR ~18,864 crore in the commercial sports economy, and approximately INR 6.5 lakh crore of wedding-linked household expenditure. (These figures use different definitions and fulfil different objectives, these are not additive and hence they are presented as contextual reference points for the scale of each ecosystem and should not be treated as components of total events and experiences industry.)
• Applying the DII framework to representative events, every INR 1 of direct event-related expenditure is associated with approximately INR 1.46- INR 2.03 of total economic activity across the four categories assessed.
• 94.6 per cent of organisers reported revenue growth over the past two financial years, while 85 per cent plan to expand into new event categories or geographies over the next two years, indicating strong business confidence and sectoral growth.
• 80 per cent of organisers rate the overall ease of obtaining event-related permissions as difficult, highlighting the importance of regulatory simplification and single-window clearance mechanisms.
• Sustainability is becoming increasingly important, with 70 per cent of visitors willing to pay a premium for environmentally sustainable events, while 68 per cent of organisers report increasing requests for sustainability credentials from clients and sponsors.
• Professional and social connection emerged as the leading motivation for event attendance, with 65 per cent of respondents citing it among their top reasons for participating in events, ahead of entertainment, personal development, and education or skills development.
• 54.4 per cent of visitors travelled from outside their city of residence to attend their most recent event, highlighting the growing role of events in driving domestic travel and visitor expenditure.
• Outstation visitors account for nearly three-quarters of total scaled visitor spend, driven by materially higher expenditure on travel, accommodation and related visitor services.
• 44.8 per cent of organisers are already using AI tools for content, logistics or personalisation, while livestreaming and hybrid formats have emerged as the leading technology investment priority for the next two years.
Together, these findings highlight the growing contribution of India’s events and experiences industry to economic activity, tourism, employment, destination development and the broader orange economy. As the sector continues to evolve through technology-enabled innovation, sustainability-focused practices and new experience formats, the report highlights the need for streamlined regulatory frameworks, continued investment in infrastructure, stronger skilling pathways and enhanced support for the industry’s workforce to help unlock its next phase of growth.
