Over 70% of Consumers Favour Active Retail Experiences: CBRE Survey

New Delhi, May 7, 2025: CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd., India’s leading real estate consulting firm, along with Invest India, the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, jointly released the latest CBRE & India Invest India Retail Entertainment Survey 2024-25 report, ‘Retail Level-up–The Entertainment Edition’.

The report adopted a two-pronged approach, combining a survey and direct interactions involving key stakeholders such as prominent developers, family entertainment centre (FEC) operators and amusement/theme parks players to provide a well-rounded analysis of the current trends and forward-looking perspectives about India’s retail entertainment sector.

The survey highlighted that respondents across varying age categories prefer active entertainment options such as bowling, play zones, escape rooms, and rock climbing while a relatively smaller portion favours passive experiences such as immersive art, art fairs, museums and theatre.

‘Amusement/Theme Parks’ and ‘Bowling Alleys’ rank as the most popular experiences that respondents have participated in at least once. This is likely due to their widespread appeal and established presence unlike newer activities such as trampoline parks, escape rooms, or AR/VR experiences, which have only recently gained popularity in India. Children’s play zones have also witnessed a surge, including arcade gaming.

Activities Prioritised by Respondents for Increased Participation or Availability

Key Takeaways from the CBRE Retail Entertainment Survey 2024-25

While malls remained a top choice, the survey indicated rising popularity for high streets and standalone experience centres. Nearly 35 per cent of Gen Z respondents preferred high streets for retail experiences and 31 per cent of all respondents favoured standalone experience centres.

According to the survey, nearly 90 per cent of the respondents are open to spending up to INR 4,000 per month on experiences. Notably, the INR 1,000 to INR 2,000 price range emerged as the most popular spending bracket among them.

Furthermore, younger respondents exhibited a particular inclination towards affordable options, underscoring the necessity for entertainment providers to adopt flexible pricing models that accommodate various age cohorts’ diverse preferences and budgetary constraints.

On average, over 65 per cent of respondents preferred to focus solely on entertainment experiences or combine them with F&B, per the survey. In addition, amongst respondents who visit entertainment centres, approximately 29 per cent indicated that they engage in any entertainment experience on average once every three to four months.

When asked about experiences enjoyed, at least, once every three to four months, respondents most frequently cited stand-up comedy, game arcades, bowling alleys, kids’ play zones and amusement parks as their top five choices.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO (India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa), CBRE, said, “The entertainment sector’s growth is redefining retail real estate in India. As consumers increasingly seek experiential engagement, entertainment formats—particularly family entertainment centres and children entertainment centres—are becoming critical to mall strategies.”

This transformation presents “a unique opportunity for developers to future-proof their assets through innovative, high-yield tenant mixes. We believe that the integration of experience-driven formats will be central to the next phase of retail development in India”, he added.

Ram Chandnani, Managing Director (Advisory and Transaction services), CBRE India, said, “High-quality entertainment centres are thriving in both metros and tier-II cities with leading brands reporting similar revenue performance across these markets.” This growth is “fuelled by a focus on immersive experiences as developers invest in placemaking through experiential dining, large-format stores, green zones and community amenities. Regular events further enhance footfall and customer loyalty”.