India, Feb. 2 -- Literary festivals have long been a popular cultural force. The iconic Hay Festival of Literature & Arts in Wales, first held in 1988, was famously described by President Bill Clinton as "the Woodstock of the mind". Jaipur Literature Festival, hailed as the "greatest literary show on Earth", has similarly earned its place on the global literary map, reflecting India's ever-evolving reading public. Yet only in the past few years, and particularly in the post-COVID era, has 'lit-fest tourism' begun to surge.

The trend isn't surprising. After all, storytelling has rarely been more visible. And book culture, too, has witnessed its contours expand - especially through digital sessions, author Q&As, and live-streamed panels re...