Budget behind the fun: How much Indians are spending on Spain's La Tomatina

Once popularised by Bollywood's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, La Tomatina has moved from reel to real for many Indian travellers, now featuring high on their European summer bucket lists

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The iconic tomato fight of La Tomatina isn’t just a cultural splash—it’s becoming a serious line item in Indian travellers’ holiday budgets. What started as a Bollywood-inspired fantasy from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has now evolved into a high-spend travel trend, with Indians shelling out lakhs to soak in Spain’s biggest fiesta.

 

The Budgets Behind the Fun

 

Spain holidays overall: Data analysed by online travel plaform PickYourTrail, shows the sweet spot is ₹2–2.5 lakh per person, enough to cover flights, accommodation, and multi-city tours across Spain.

 

La Tomatina itself: Travellers typically set aside ₹30,000—this includes stays in Buñol and activities before and after the tomato battle.

 

Europe holidays in peak August: Indians spend an average of ₹6.4 lakh per trip, with La Tomatina often just one highlight in a larger Europe itinerary that includes Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and even France.

 

 Who’s Spending and Why

 

Gen Z: Extends stays to 10–15 days, prioritising immersive experiences like vineyard tours, cooking classes, and music festivals.

 

Millennials: Prefer shorter, structured itineraries, balancing work schedules with cultural experiences.

 

Families & Groups: Treat the festival as a unique way to bond, often combining it with sightseeing across Spain.

 

 Travel Patterns

 

City Leaders: Bangalore is topping the charts in bookings, followed by Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai.

 

Europe’s Pull: Travellers increasingly combine Spain with other European hotspots, turning La Tomatina into a gateway for extended continental tours.

 

"Europe is witnessing a significant spike in demand during the summer of 2025, with bookings rising from 11.75% in July to 20.93% in August. Within this, La Tomatina has emerged as a standout, with the number of Indians travelling for the festival itself growing by 11% compared to last year—a clear sign of how film- inspired wanderlust has matured into actual travel behaviour," said Hari Ganapathy, Co-founder, Pickyourtrail.

 

Why It Matters

 

For many Indians, La Tomatina has moved from “Instagram dream” to “financially planned holiday.” With Europe trips in August averaging over ₹6 lakh, the tomato fight is no longer a standalone splurge—it’s part of a bigger appetite for experience-led travel.