Connect with us

Travel Guides & Articles

From Enrique, Akon, Diljit To Ed Sheeran, Coldplay & Dua Lipa: Why Mumbai Is Now India’s Live Music Hub | Travel

Published

on


Premium

Whether you were busy crooning with Diljit and Ed Sheeran, or hit a nostalgia jackpot at Himesh Reshammiya’s recent gig, one thing is clear: no other city is hosting as many local and global artists like Mumbai!

From Enrique, Akon, Diljit To Ed Sheeran, Coldplay & Dua Lipa: Why Mumbai Is India’s Best City For Concerts

Mumbai has always called itself the city of dreams. Today, it is also the city of concerts. Enrique Iglesias is preparing for two back-to-back shows in October. Akon will follow with his chart-topping hits in November. Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus Tour lands soon after. Earlier this year, Diljit Dosanjh sold out arenas, and Ed Sheeran drew fans from across India. Soon, Sunburn—the country’s biggest electronic music festival—will make Mumbai its stage. Add Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Arijit Singh, and Himesh Reshammiya to the list, and it becomes clear: no city in India is hosting as many global and homegrown stars.

A City Built For Concerts

Why Mumbai? Part of the answer is practical. The city is India’s commercial capital, a place of world-class hotels, modern infrastructure, and venues that can handle the kind of scale international artists demand. DY Patil Stadium and the Mahalaxmi Racecourse have emerged as the beating hearts of Mumbai concerts, drawing tens of thousands at a time. The city’s international airport keeps it well connected, not just to London or Los Angeles, but to Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, feeding the growing wave of music tourism in India.

Weather also plays its part. Mumbai’s relatively moderate climate makes it friendlier for open-air shows than Delhi’s winters. And then there’s the audience: diverse, young, cosmopolitan. At a single show, you might spot college students screaming along to Dua Lipa, corporate professionals reliving the nostalgia of Enrique Iglesias, and families dancing to Diljit Dosanjh. It is this eclectic crowd that has turned live music in Mumbai into a cultural celebration.

I still remember being part of the crowd when U2 performed in Mumbai in 2019, their first-ever concert in India. The atmosphere was electric, yet what stood out most was the warmth and energy of the audience. The Mumbai concert crowd was not just passionate but also respectful, making the experience feel safer and more welcoming than many other venues I’ve attended. Strangers danced together, sang in unison, and looked out for one another. That night made it clear to me why artists—from Coldplay to Diljit Dosanjh—call Mumbai one of their favourite stops.

Music Tourism On The Rise

Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, Coldplay, Bryan Adams, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift! 2024 gave us enough reasons to travel, or book our getaways for 2025! In fact, travel for concerts witnessed an incredible 44% surge in 2024, marking a shift toward an experience-driven economy. From local gigs to international festivals, it’s clear that Indians love to groove while they globe-trot.

And the numbers back the story in India too. According to Agoda, accommodation searches in Mumbai spiked sharply with each major concert announcement. Enrique Iglesias’s October shows drove a 160% surge. Travis Scott’s November stop recorded 110% growth. Akon’s upcoming date brought 20%. Nothing compared, however, to Coldplay’s return in January 2025, which saw domestic searches soar 3,300 times higher than the week before the announcement.

“Mumbai’s live music calendar is more diverse than ever, attracting fans from across the country to experience global artists in world-class venues,” said Gaurav Malik, Country Director for the Indian Subcontinent and Indian Ocean Islands at Agoda. “The data shows a clear link between major concert announcements and travel interest, pointing to a healthy future for music tourism in Mumbai.”

The range of performances also sets Mumbai apart. From the silky vocals of Shreya Ghoshal to the arena-filling Punjabi pop of Diljit Dosanjh, from Coldplay’s sweeping anthems to the pounding EDM of Sunburn Mumbai, the city hosts them all. Ed Sheeran, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Dua Lipa, and Travis Scott join an increasingly long list of international artists choosing Mumbai over other Indian cities.

For fans, the experience extends beyond music. A weekend of concerts in India can double as a holiday. Travellers can catch Arijit Singh at a stadium, stay at a luxury hotel by Marine Drive, eat at some of India’s finest restaurants, and spend the morning at the Gateway of India before flying back. Local businesses—from street food stalls to boutique hotels—are reaping the benefits of this wave of music tourism India.

In short, Mumbai has pulled ahead of Delhi and Bangalore as the country’s undisputed hub for concerts in India. It is a city that knows how to host, how to entertain, and how to make every show feel like an event.

Travel News – Find latest news and tips based on Indian and World travel including top 10 travel destination, tourism information, how to reach visit and more at Times Now.





Source link

Travel Guides & Articles

Travel slump: June sees a dip in number of Indian visitors in US; first decline since 2001 | India News

Published

on


NEW DELHI: The desi peak outbound travel month of June saw a decline in the number of Indian visitors to the US in 2025 over the previous year for the first time this Millennium — barring the Covid period. With 2.1 lakh Indians headed to America in June, the number was 8% lower than 2.3 lakh in same month last year, according to data from US commerce dept’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). The provisional figure for this July shows 5.5% fall over same month last year.Overall, the US has been seeing a decline in international visitors — and not just from India — in recent months. NTTO says total non-US resident international visitor volume to the US decreased 6.2% in June 2025 over June 2024; 7% in May; 8% in March; 1.9% in Feb. This Jan saw 4.7% increase over same period last year and April was up 1.3%.

Indians With Valid US Visas Can Now Easily Travel To Argentina Without Needing Any Additional Visa

India is the fourth largest source market for international visitors for the US. Since the two biggest source markets — Mexico and Canada — share a land border, India is the second biggest overseas source market with the UK being the biggest. “Combined, these top five source markets (with Brazil being the fifth) accounted for 59.4% of total international arrivals” this June, says NTTO.While travel industry biggies here say it is too early to pin the blame for fall in Indian visitor numbers on the stricter visa regime adopted by President Trump in his second presidency which has seen souring of India-US ties, the impact could be more pronounced going ahead if the same continues. The reason: US mostly issues 10-year validity multiple entry visitor and business visas (B1/B2) so people who already have the same can keep travelling. But if new visas get impacted for reasons like long appointment time or stricter issuance norms, then with a time lag the impact will be visible.“We are seeing a very visible impact on student segment this year due to delay in visa issuance even after people securing college admission. Historically, the biggest categories of visitors headed from India to the US have been visiting friends & relatives (VFR), business and students. The US was never a top leisure destination for Indians. That space has been led by Southeast Asia, Middle East and Europe. North America came after that. Right now apart from students we are not seeing a dramatic impact on the other segments but if new visa issuances are affected, they will also be hit with a certain time lag,” said a leading travel agent.With an Indian diaspora of over 50 lakh, the US sees great demand for travel from the India. NTTO data shows since the start of this Millennium, every June had seen a jump from same month in last year till 2025 broke that trend.April was a great month as far as outbound from India is concerned. According to Indian tourism ministry data, 29 lakh Indians travelled abroad this April with the maximum going to the UAE followed by Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore and the US.“But after May and June, travel was severely impacted following the Pehelgam terror attack, closure of Pakistan airspace (which continues for Indian carriers & vice versa) and then the Air India Ahmedabad crash. So every destination, especially in the west, was impacted badly. The drop to the US may not be in isolation as fast as western destinations go,” said another travel biggie.





Source link

Continue Reading

Travel Guides & Articles

Putin to travel to India in December; visit to focus on defence and energy ties

Published

on


Russian President Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to India in December, marking his first trip to the country since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, according to a report by AFP citing Kremlin officials.

The visit comes at a time of heightened tension between New Delhi and Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates pressure on India over its ongoing oil trade with Moscow. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, bringing the total import duty to 50 percent. The U.S. has accused India of indirectly funding Russia’s war effort through discounted crude purchases.

India has strongly rejected the accusations and called the new tariffs hypocritical and unjust. Officials in New Delhi have emphasised that their oil procurement decisions are guided by market dynamics and national interest. India has also highlighted that several other major economies, including countries in Europe, continue to maintain significant trade ties with Russia but have not been targeted with similar penalties.

The Kremlin had initially announced that Putin had accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India earlier this year, but a date had not been confirmed. News of the December visit follows an upcoming bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin, scheduled to take place on September 1 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.

As India’s relationship with the U.S. faces new strains, its ties with Russia and China appear to be strengthening. The upcoming visit is expected to focus on bolstering cooperation across several sectors, including defence, energy, and trade.

Russia remains a key strategic and defence partner for India, with a relationship that dates back to the Soviet era. Moscow has publicly supported India amid U.S. tariff actions, calling the American measures “unjustified” and accusing Washington of “double standards.”

The Russian embassy recently stated, “If Indian goods cannot go to the U.S. market, they are welcome to Russia.”

 



Source link

Continue Reading

Travel Guides & Articles

Weekly Horoscope Pisces, August 31-September 6, 2025: Work-related travel is foreseen | Astrology

Published

on


Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)

Weekly Horoscope Prediction says, avoid controversies

Look for happy moments in love and ensure you take up new roles at the office. Do not invest blindly and instead have a proper investment plan. Health is good.

Pisces Weekly Horoscope: Read our expert astrological predictions to find out what the stars have in store for you. (Freepik)

Be fair in your love life and consider taking risks at work. Despite the prosperity, you should be careful about the expenditure. Health is also on your side.

Pisces Love Horoscope This Week

Your relationship will be creative, but there may also be minor issues that demand attention. You should be ready to discuss the issues to settle them. Do not impose your concepts on the lover and instead provide the space to personally express your opinions. This will strengthen the relationship. You may also patch up with the ex-lover who had broken up on ego issues. Married females may get pregnant in the second half of the week.

Pisces Career Horoscope This Week

Pay attention to the details while handling a project. Be ready to face minor issues while settling professional issues, and clients must also be convinced about certain flaws or missing points in a project. Artists, authors, actors, musicians, and politicians will see more opportunities to prove their mettle. You may visit the client’s office, and your communication skills will be a major factor in winning a new contract. Some professionals will travel for job reasons and perhaps even to places abroad. The commitment, discipline, and integrity are unmatched.

Pisces Money Horoscope This Week

Wealth will be there, but you may have issues related to investments, especially in the stock market. Some females will win a part of the property through legal battle. Senior natives can also consider the division of property in the first half of the week. Businessmen will raise funds through promoters, while you may also expect good returns from the business. Avoid lending a large amount, as you may have issues getting it back.

Pisces Health Horoscope This Week

If you make any travel plans, try to go out to places that would make you feel more relaxed and rejuvenated. Female natives need to be careful about pain in joints, breathing issues, and migraine. Pregnant females need relief from office stress and should consider taking leave for a few days. Avoid heavy exercise and be careful while boarding a train or bus. It is good to be careful about the diet.

Pisces Sign Attributes

  • Strength: Conscious, Aesthetic, Kind-hearted
  • Weakness: Sentimental, Indecisive, Unrealistic
  • Symbol: Fish
  • Element: Water
  • Body Part: Blood Circulation
  • Sign Ruler: Neptune
  • Lucky Day: Thursday
  • Lucky Color: Purple
  • Lucky Number: 11
  • Lucky Stone: Yellow Sapphire

Pisces Sign Compatibility Chart

  • Natural affinity: Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, Capricorn
  • Good compatibility: Virgo, Pisces
  • Fair compatibility: Aries, Leo, Libra, Aquarius
  • Less compatibility: Gemini, Sagittarius

By: Dr. J. N. Pandey

Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert

Website: www.astrologerjnpandey.com

E-mail: djnpandey@gmail.com

Phone: 91-9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending