Coldplay’s Ahmedabad tour was a Rs 641 crore power show

Coldplay’s recent two-night performance at the Narendra Modi Stadium welcomed over 222,000 attendees and generated an estimated Rs 641 crore in total economic impact. Of this, Rs 392 crore directly benefitted Ahmedabad’s economy through spending on travel, accommodation, dining, shopping, and transportation. The event also contributed Rs 72 crore in GST revenues to the Indian government.

According to EY’s recent report on the event, titled ‘India’s rising concert economy’, for every Rs 100 spent on a ticket, concertgoers spent an additional Rs 585 across associated services, creating a ripple that elevated revenues across multiple sectors.

Hospitality, tourism, and transportation 

According to the report, Ahmedabad airport handled a record 138,000 passengers over the three-day concert window. Railways ran at full capacity, with special trains added to accommodate the influx. Metro services were extended, and their highest-ever ridership was reported.

This unprecedented movement of people demonstrated the city's infrastructural readiness and exposed the untapped tourism potential of Tier-2 cities.

The concert transformed Ahmedabad into a temporary tourism superhub. Hotels were booked to capacity, with rates skyrocketing as high as Rs 1.6 lakh for a two-night stay. Online platforms like MakeMyTrip reported a 2.7x surge in accommodation bookings, while Cleartrip noted a 1,047% rise in hotel reservations.

OTT and digital reach

Coldplay's concert in Ahmedabad was also streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar on January 26, 2025. This exclusive digital event allowed fans across India to watch the concert from home with just an active Disney+ Hotstar subscription, and no extra ticket was required. According to the report, the digital stream recorded 165 million minutes of viewing time, making it one of India’s most-watched live music events, rivalling even a few cricket finals in terms of engagement.

On social media, the event garnered over 350 million social media impressions and 1.2 billion media reach. 

Impact on brands 

According to the report, several brands in the fashion, lifestyle and F&B space saw an uptick in engagement and sales. Myntra saw a 3x year-on-year surge in concert-related merchandise sales, while AJIO recorded a 30% uptick in youth fashion categories. Nearly 68% of attendees made concert-specific fashion purchases. 

There were 130 stalls and nine food courts serving guests and nearly 3,000 staff deployed at the venue. Restaurants, cafes, and food stalls — both within and around the venue — experienced a 30–40% increase in footfall.

Social impact

Beyond economic figures, the concert generated large-scale employment. Approximately 15,000 personnel were involved, from event staff and student volunteers to law enforcement and hospitality workers, with over 9,000 hailing from Ahmedabad itself.

The event also set new standards for accessibility and inclusivity. There were several facilities for persons with disabilities, including sign language interpreters, vibration-enabled jackets for the hearing-impaired, and sensory rooms.