India’s largest backpacker hostel chain, Zostel, has released its “The Sound of the Route” report, highlighting how live music has become a major driver of travel among young Indians. In FY25-26, a significant share of travellers booked festival-led experiences through Zo Trips, spanning events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival in Meghalaya, the Ziro Festival and standalone concert-based trips. Music festival travel now makes up 30 percent of Zo Trips’ experiential portfolio, a segment the company is actively scaling for both India’s domestic music community and inbound travellers exploring the country’s live music circuit. Nearly all festival travellers also incorporate local experiences such as treks, café visits and sightseeing into their itineraries, and a majority are repeat Zo Trips customers. Zostel is also joining as the Official Accommodation Partner for Ziro Festival 2026, aiming to extend the festival experience through community-oriented stays and destination-led programming.