The Cost of Culture: How much do global cultural events impact hotel and flight prices?
Hanami in Japan. Dîa de los muertos in Mexico. Diwali across India. Just three examples of world-renowned cultural events that attract locals, tourists, and migrants returning home, in their millions every year.
For some, this is a time to visit family for celebrations, for many others, it’s the chance of a lifetime to experience a unique slice of culture. But with some events causing inflated prices for hotels and airfare, this culture may come at a cost.
We decided to calculate exactly how much extra (or not in some cases) you may have to pay if you want to attend some of the world’s richest cultural events. We reviewed thousands of hotel listings for various cities around the world hosting these events and compared their average nightly rates before, during, and after these events.
We took that same methodology and compared flight prices too leaving from some of the busiest airports in the world. This then allowed us to compare each event to show, on average, how much extra you might have to pay for these cultural adventures.
For some, this is a time to visit family for celebrations, for many others, it’s the chance of a lifetime to experience a unique slice of culture. But with some events causing inflated prices for hotels and airfare, this culture may come at a cost.
We decided to calculate exactly how much extra (or not in some cases) you may have to pay if you want to attend some of the world’s richest cultural events. We reviewed thousands of hotel listings for various cities around the world hosting these events and compared their average nightly rates before, during, and after these events.
We took that same methodology and compared flight prices too leaving from some of the busiest airports in the world. This then allowed us to compare each event to show, on average, how much extra you might have to pay for these cultural adventures.
Key findings:
- In our study, Rio de Janeiro's Carnival saw the highest cost increase with average hotel rates spiking an average of 181.5% with flights rising 17.5%.
- Seeing in the New Year in Sydney, Australia, was the second most expensive cultural event with costs rising by an average of 168.1%.
- Average flight tickets increased the most for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Oaxaca, Mexico by an average of 91.6%.
- Hotels in Rio for Carnival had the highest increase in average nightly rates of 181.5% (£133.46/$174.28) followed by Sydney for New Year’s Eve at 163.7% (£204.40/$266.91) and New Orleans for Mardi Gras by 148% (£270.08/$352.67).
- Barcelona’s mid-August festival, Festa Major de Gracia, saw average prices drop by 7.3% than the weeks before and after, making it a slightly cheaper date to visit the city.
- Hotels in New York City for Independence Day were on average 5.4% cheaper than the days before and after the federal holiday.
Carnaval, New Year’s Eve, and Mardi Gras have the highest cost of culture
While flying to Rio for Carnival only increased costs by an average of 17.5%, staying in hotels for the biggest party in the world could cost you 181.5% more than if you were to visit the city the week before or after. Visitors to Rio’s Carnival can expect dazzling costumes and infectious music celebrating Brazilian culture. And of course, expect to see lots of samba. If you want to celebrate Carnival with your family and friends from afar, remember to use Remitly to send money to Brazil.
It may come as no surprise that New Year’s Eve made it onto this list with Sydney’s fireworks show often synonymous with the night globally, with Australia being one of the first countries in the world to enter the new year. Similarly to Rio, the flights here aren’t the cause of inflated costs, with airfare only increasing by an average of 4.4%. Staying in hotels in Sydney to ring in the new year could cost you 163.7% more than it would if you delayed or brought forward your trip to avoid the busy period. How important is NYE or do you want to save money down under?
The third spot on the ranking goes to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras in the Louisiana city goes on for weeks with parades and partying coming to a head for Fat Tuesday. This is the day before Ash Wednesday, both key dates on the Christian holiday calendar.
If you’re interested in visiting, the official Mardi Gras New Orleans website has some useful tips on planning the perfect visit. Like most cultural events in this study, it’s better to book early as hotel rates can rise by 148.0% on key Mardi Gras celebration dates compared to before and after the holiday. The later you book, the less choice you’ll have, the more likely it is the cost will be higher.
Take a look at the full top 20 most expensive cultural events around the world as ranked by the cost increase (vs before and after the event) in the table below.
It may come as no surprise that New Year’s Eve made it onto this list with Sydney’s fireworks show often synonymous with the night globally, with Australia being one of the first countries in the world to enter the new year. Similarly to Rio, the flights here aren’t the cause of inflated costs, with airfare only increasing by an average of 4.4%. Staying in hotels in Sydney to ring in the new year could cost you 163.7% more than it would if you delayed or brought forward your trip to avoid the busy period. How important is NYE or do you want to save money down under?
The third spot on the ranking goes to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras in the Louisiana city goes on for weeks with parades and partying coming to a head for Fat Tuesday. This is the day before Ash Wednesday, both key dates on the Christian holiday calendar.
If you’re interested in visiting, the official Mardi Gras New Orleans website has some useful tips on planning the perfect visit. Like most cultural events in this study, it’s better to book early as hotel rates can rise by 148.0% on key Mardi Gras celebration dates compared to before and after the holiday. The later you book, the less choice you’ll have, the more likely it is the cost will be higher.
Take a look at the full top 20 most expensive cultural events around the world as ranked by the cost increase (vs before and after the event) in the table below.
The top 20 most expensive cultural events around the world
| Rank | Event and Location | Date(s) | Flight Difference | Hotel Difference | Cost of Culture | Nightly Hotel Difference (£/$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Feb 28th - March 8th 2025 | +17.5% | +181.5% | +199.0% | £133.46 / $174.36 |
| 2 | New Year's Eve, Sydney, Australia | 31st December 2024 | +4.4% | +163.7% | +168.1% | £204.40 / $267.05 |
| 3 | Mardi Gras, New Orleans, US | 1st - 4th March 2025 | +10.8% | +148.0% | +158.8% | £270.08 / $352.86 |
| 4 | Fallas Festival, Valencia, Spain | 15th - 19th March 2025 | +28.6% | +104.8% | +133.4% | £140.31 / $183.31 |
| 5 | Hogmanay / New Year's Eve, Edinburgh, Scotland | 31st December 2024 | -4.0% | +135.2% | +131.0% | £234.87 / $306.85 |
| 6 | Saint Patrick's Day, Dublin, Ireland | 17th March 2025 | +15.2% | +99.5% | +114.7% | £126.59 / $165.39 |
| 7 | International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, USA | 5th - 13th October 2024 | +11.2% | +95.7% | +106.9% | £148.57 / $194.10 |
| 8 | Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany | 21st Sept - 6th Oct 2024 | +57.0% | +44.6% | +102.0% | £87.17 / $113.89 |
| 9 | Loy Krathong Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand | 15th - 16th November 2024 | +11.6% | +80.9% | +92.5% | £36.37 / $47.52 |
| 10 | Dia de los Muertos, Oaxaca, Mexico | 31st Oct - 3rd Nov 2024 | +91.6% | -3.0% | +88.6% | -£2.74 / -$3.58 |
| 11 | Nice Carnival, Nice, France | 15th Feb - 2nd March 2025 | +26.1% | +39.7% | +65.8% | £38.97 / $50.91 |
| 12 | International Wildflower Festival, Bohinj, Slovenia | 24th May - 9th June 2025 | +56.2% | +4.5% | +60.7% | £5.78 / $7.55 |
| 13 | La Tomatina, Buñol, Spain | 27th - 28th August 2025 | +34.4% | +14.1% | +48.5% | £28.08 / $36.69 |
| 14 | Carnival of Venice, Venice, Italy | 22nd Feb - 4th March 2025 | -7.7% | +54.5% | +46.8% | £100.75 / $131.63 |
| 15 | Karneval, Cologne, Germany | 3rd March 2025 | +0.7% | +43.4% | +44.1% | £51.51 / $67.30 |
| 16 | Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival), Menton, France | 15th Feb - 2nd March 2025 | +26.7% | +15.2% | +41.9% | £24.05 / $31.42 |
| 17 | Chinese New Year, Beijing, China | 29th January 2025 | -2.2% | +43.4% | +41.2% | £34.34 / $44.86 |
| 18 | Gion Matsuri, Kyoto, Japan | 15th - 22nd July 2025 | +2.8% | +32.6% | +35.4% | £33.48 / $43.74 |
| 19 | Cherry Blossom Season, Tokyo, Japan | March 29th - 4th April 2025 | +2.3% | +29.9% | +32.2% | £42.22 / $55.16 |
| 20 | Cherry Blossom Season, Kyoto, Japan | 26th March - 4th April 2025 | -6.5% | +33.7% | +27.2% | £49.87 / $65.15 |
Cultural events around the world that won’t break the bank
There were some cultural events in the study that didn’t increase costs when compared to visiting before or after.
Since 1817 the bustling Gràcia neighbourhood in Barcelona, Spain, has celebrated with a festival in August every year, it is a mini Spanish carnival. For people in the city in the summer, it’s a must-see event to experience Catalan traditions, food, and pyrotechnics. While it is the most famous district festival in the city it is still small-scale, which might explain why it doesn’t impact the cost of visiting the coastal city much. In fact, hotel costs only differ by around -0.2% on average while flights can be -7.1% cheaper. Overall, this is a cost difference you’re unlikely to notice visiting the popular tourist city during the height of summer.
Another Barcelona festival also didn’t impact costs of visiting: Festes de La Mercè. This celebration celebrates the whole city not just one district and has been going since 1871, and takes place around the 24th of September each year. It’s known for its fireworks, art, and huge 13 feet giant puppets that parade the streets. If you want to visit the Catalan city during this time you would find on average prices don’t differ too much to September norms, with flights around 2.7% lower and hotels 1.8% lower on average.
There was little difference in cost found for Independence Day in Los Angeles, US (-5.7%), and New York (-2.3%). However, visitors to Chicago for the American federal holiday can expect to pay up to 11.6% more, largely driven by a 19.2% increase in average hotel rates around the 4th July weekend.
The rest of the cultural celebrations where the overall cost difference was less than % can be seen in the table below.
Since 1817 the bustling Gràcia neighbourhood in Barcelona, Spain, has celebrated with a festival in August every year, it is a mini Spanish carnival. For people in the city in the summer, it’s a must-see event to experience Catalan traditions, food, and pyrotechnics. While it is the most famous district festival in the city it is still small-scale, which might explain why it doesn’t impact the cost of visiting the coastal city much. In fact, hotel costs only differ by around -0.2% on average while flights can be -7.1% cheaper. Overall, this is a cost difference you’re unlikely to notice visiting the popular tourist city during the height of summer.
Another Barcelona festival also didn’t impact costs of visiting: Festes de La Mercè. This celebration celebrates the whole city not just one district and has been going since 1871, and takes place around the 24th of September each year. It’s known for its fireworks, art, and huge 13 feet giant puppets that parade the streets. If you want to visit the Catalan city during this time you would find on average prices don’t differ too much to September norms, with flights around 2.7% lower and hotels 1.8% lower on average.
There was little difference in cost found for Independence Day in Los Angeles, US (-5.7%), and New York (-2.3%). However, visitors to Chicago for the American federal holiday can expect to pay up to 11.6% more, largely driven by a 19.2% increase in average hotel rates around the 4th July weekend.
The rest of the cultural celebrations where the overall cost difference was less than % can be seen in the table below.
Top 10 cultural events with no or low price increase
| Rank | Event | Location | Date(s) | Flight Difference | Hotel Difference | Nightly Hotel Difference (£/$) | Cost of Culture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Festa Major de Gràcia | Barcelona, Spain | 15th - 21st August 2025 | -7.1% | -0.2% | £0.38 / $0.50 | -7.3% |
| 2 | Independence Day | Los Angeles, US | 4th July 2025 | -9.1% | +3.4% | £8.14 / $10.63 | -5.7% |
| 3 | Festes de La Mercè | Barcelona, Spain | 21st - 25th September 2025 | -2.7% | -1.8% | -£4.48 / -$5.85 | -4.5% |
| 4 | Songkran | Chiang Mai, Thailand | 13th - 15th April 2025 | +0.1% | -4.1% | -£2.21 / -$2.89 | -4.0% |
| 5 | Independence Day | New York, US | 4th July 2025 | +3.1% | -5.4% | -£14.57 / -$19.04 | -2.3% |
| 6 | Diwali | Singapore | 29th Oct - 3rd Nov 2024 | +0.7% | -0.2% | -£0.28 / -$0.37 | +0.5% |
| 7 | Dragon Boat Festival | Hangzhou, China | 31st May 2025 | 0.0% | +1.3% | £1.58 / $2.06 | +1.0% |
| 8 | Holi | Mathura, India | 14th March 2025 | -2.1% | +3.8% | £1.17 / $1.53 | +1.7% |
| 9 | Tokyo International Film Festival | Tokyo, Japan | 28th Oct - 6th Nov 2024 | +0.3% | +2.1% | £2.63 / $3.44 | +2.4% |
| 10 | Loy Krathong Lantern Festival | Bangkok, Thailand | 15th - 16th November 2024 | -0.3% | +3.7% | £1.79 / $2.34 | +3.4% |
How much extra does it cost to visit Japan during cherry blossom season?
Japan saw a 41.9% increase in visitors in July 2024 compared to the year before. The ever-popular tourist destination booms on social media with many people wanting to visit for food, culture, and of course, cherry blossom.
On average, our analysis found that it costs an extra average of £35.92/$46.92 per night to stay in hotels across Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto during cherry blossom season.
Cherry blossom season typically runs from the end of March into May but it differs each year and changes from region to region. When dates are announced however you can expect prices to increase as demand follows suit.
On average, our analysis found that it costs an extra average of £35.92/$46.92 per night to stay in hotels across Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto during cherry blossom season.
Cherry blossom season typically runs from the end of March into May but it differs each year and changes from region to region. When dates are announced however you can expect prices to increase as demand follows suit.
Hotel cost difference in Japan for cherry blossom season
| City | Flight Difference (%) | Hotel Difference (%) | Average Nightly Cost Before (£/$) | Average Nightly Cost During (£/$) | Average Nightly Cost After (£/$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | +26.03% | +29.90% | £141 / $179 | £183 / $233 | £141 / $179 |
| Osaka | -2.60% | +19.80% | £95 / $121 | £108 / $138 | £86 / $110 |
| Kyoto | -6.50% | +33.70% | £181 / $230 | £254 / $322 | £199 / $252 |
You could pay up to 32% more to experience cherry blossom season
Our analysis found that it would cost you between 17% and 32% more to visit during this period depending on which city you chose to visit.
Tokyo saw the highest cherry blossom price increase at a total of 32.2%, made up of hotels increasing by 29.9% and flights marginally changing around 2.3%. Kyoto saw the second-highest Hanami price hike at 27.2% made up of a 33.5% hotel increase, but with flights appearing cheaper by around 6.5%.
Finally, Osaka was found to be 17.2% more expensive to visit during cherry blossom season with hotels rising by 19.8%, but flights were marginally cheaper by -2.6%. While you’re unlikely to notice that small a difference to airfare, you will notice hotels increasing their nightly rates by a fifth.
Tokyo saw the highest cherry blossom price increase at a total of 32.2%, made up of hotels increasing by 29.9% and flights marginally changing around 2.3%. Kyoto saw the second-highest Hanami price hike at 27.2% made up of a 33.5% hotel increase, but with flights appearing cheaper by around 6.5%.
Finally, Osaka was found to be 17.2% more expensive to visit during cherry blossom season with hotels rising by 19.8%, but flights were marginally cheaper by -2.6%. While you’re unlikely to notice that small a difference to airfare, you will notice hotels increasing their nightly rates by a fifth.
Methodology
We collated a list of 50 of the world’s most popular cultural events from various global tourism guides, publications and travel agents: rest less, VenueReport, Expatica, MyBucketListEvents, Berlitz, Klook, Rickshaw Travel. Some events were removed from the analysis if they were not open to the public, such as the Cannes Film Festival, or if there was not enough data available for hotels/flights, such as the Harbin Ice Festival in China.
Hotel pricing data was taken from Booking.com, filtering in each relevant city for accommodation that was 3 or 4 stars and had a 7+ review score to get an average hotel cost that was accessible for most travellers. Flight data was taken from Google Flights which analyses flights from multiple airlines globally. The lowest cost was taken for both one-way and return flights to the largest airports nearest to the cultural event. Flight dates assumed visitors would want to arrive at the destination 1-2 days before the event started. Flights and hotel costs compare dates before and after the event against dates of attending the event. If the event lasted for several weeks we chose the week in the middle, or when key celebrations were held.
Flight and hotel prices will fluctuate based on sales, demand, and other factors. Cost data should only be used as a guide for independent research and cost analysis.
Price data was collected across July-September 2024.
Hotel pricing data was taken from Booking.com, filtering in each relevant city for accommodation that was 3 or 4 stars and had a 7+ review score to get an average hotel cost that was accessible for most travellers. Flight data was taken from Google Flights which analyses flights from multiple airlines globally. The lowest cost was taken for both one-way and return flights to the largest airports nearest to the cultural event. Flight dates assumed visitors would want to arrive at the destination 1-2 days before the event started. Flights and hotel costs compare dates before and after the event against dates of attending the event. If the event lasted for several weeks we chose the week in the middle, or when key celebrations were held.
Flight and hotel prices will fluctuate based on sales, demand, and other factors. Cost data should only be used as a guide for independent research and cost analysis.
Price data was collected across July-September 2024.