Assam eyes permanent concert arena as live entertainment drives tourism and economy

A permanent concert arena is expected to come up in Assam within the next two years as the state pushes to establish itself as a major destination for large-scale live entertainment events, according to Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) Managing Director Kumar Padmapani Bora.

The announcement comes alongside the release of The Assam Blueprint: Turning Live Music Economy into a Tourism Multiplier, a report prepared by BookMyShow, ATDC and EY-Parthenon that examines the economic and tourism impact of large live events in the state.

The report uses Post Malone's first-ever solo headline concert in India, held in Guwahati, as a case study and argues that live entertainment can become a significant driver of tourism, employment and local business growth. It estimates that a structured calendar of major events could generate more than Rs 700 crore in cumulative economic impact for Assam over the next five years.

Speaking about the state's plans, Bora said the concert economy is "not just about entertainment" but also about tourism, culture, youth engagement and economic growth. He said Assam is working towards creating an ecosystem where large events become recurring opportunities that attract visitors, generate jobs and showcase the state to wider audiences. He also stated that Assam is expected to have a permanent concert arena within two years.

According to estimates by BookMyShow and EY-Parthenon, the Post Malone concert generated an overall economic impact of Rs 43 crore, including Rs 32 crore spent within Assam's economy and around Rs 5 crore in GST revenue. The event attracted about 20,000 attendees despite airline disruptions during the period, with more than half travelling from outside Guwahati and arriving from over 200 cities and towns across the country.

Report Link: https://in.bmscdn.com/m6/static/content/press-information-assets/2026/june/20260610_151758.pdf

The study found that concertgoers spent significantly beyond ticket purchases. For every Rs 100 spent on a ticket, attendees spent approximately Rs 899 on accommodation, travel, food, shopping and other services. Hotels in Guwahati reported nearly 30 per cent higher occupancy during the concert weekend, while transport operators saw more than 50 per cent growth in demand. Restaurants, cafés and retail businesses also recorded notable increases in customer footfall.

Beyond Guwahati, visitors travelled to tourist destinations such as Kaziranga National Park, Majuli, Kamakhya Temple and Sivasagar, strengthening Assam's position as a gateway to the North-East.

The report also highlights the growing importance of the North-East in India's live entertainment market. Assam hosted 55 ticketed events, while Guwahati recorded a 188 per cent increase in live-event attendance in 2025, reflecting rising demand for large-scale concerts and entertainment experiences.

Naman Pugalia, Chief Business Officer for Live Events at BookMyShow, said the next phase of India's live entertainment growth would be driven by the creation of new cultural and entertainment hubs. He described the North-East as one of the country's most promising regions due to its musical heritage, engaged audiences and evolving ecosystem.

Raghav Anand, Partner and Leader, Media and Entertainment, EY-Parthenon, said the Assam experience demonstrated the value of treating live entertainment as economic infrastructure rather than a one-off spectacle. He said the state's progress has been supported by policy direction, institutional coordination, infrastructure investment and efforts to measure outcomes.

The Post Malone concert also generated short-term employment opportunities, engaging around 2,500 people across security, hospitality, logistics, production and venue management, while providing work for local vendors involved in staging, branding, food and beverage services, payments and sustainability operations.

BookMyShow founder and CEO Ashish Hemrajani said the partnership with Assam Tourism was focused on creating an ecosystem rather than simply organising events. "Live entertainment, done at scale, is one of the most powerful economic multipliers a state can invest in," he said, adding that the five-year roadmap aims to transform Assam into a recurring destination for world-class live experiences.

The momentum is set to continue, with legendary rock band Guns N' Roses scheduled to perform in Guwahati on November 17, 2026, further strengthening Assam's ambitions to become a key stop on international touring circuits.