According to a survey conducted by the platform Klook, vacation planning is the least appreciated task for Indians, with most organizers spending over ten hours preparing a single trip while receiving little recognition for their efforts.
The study covered 2725 travelers from 10 markets and found that more than six out of ten Indian planners spend over 10 hours planning a trip. Approximately 40% of respondents reported dedicating up to 20 hours, and about a quarter spent 40 hours or more organizing one vacation.
It was established that the planning process involves coordinating numerous tasks: booking transport and accommodation, managing budgets, creating itineraries, and solving logistical issues for the group.
Klook Creator Shreya Gautam noted that being a planner means not just booking flights and hotels, but becoming an unofficial problem solver, budget manager, and itinerary expert. She emphasized that it is a responsibility, but also a source of pleasure.
The biggest challenge for Indian planners was people management. Approximately 63.7% cited schedule coordination as the main source of stress, followed by budget management (59.2%) and comparing flight and accommodation options (45.9%).
Beyond logistics, 75.2% of respondents stated that choosing options that minimize disagreements within the group and ensure the satisfaction of all participants is one of the most important skills.
Planners remain responsible throughout the entire vacation; more than half of the respondents reported checking their phones at least six times a day during trips to monitor bookings, routes, and other arrangements.
Many organizers also face criticism despite completing most of the organizational work. Common complaints include suggestions that the trip could have been planned better, that different leisure activities should have been chosen, or that some options exceeded individual budgets.
More than seven out of ten Indian planners believe their work deserves compensation of at least $50 USD per hour. Based on the time typically spent organizing a week-long group holiday, Klook calculated this to be equivalent to up to $1000 of unpaid labor.
The survey also showed that 63.7% of Indian planners believe their group would not have gone on the trip without someone taking charge of the organization, while 67.5% stated that the overall travel experience would have been worse without a dedicated planner.
More than eight out of ten respondents feel that travel planners deserve more recognition for the time and effort they put into successfully running group vacations.
Klook concluded that the data demonstrates the significant amount of planning, coordination, and problem-solving required before and during group trips, much of which often goes unnoticed by other travelers. Shreya Gautam added that she realized that a planner rarely receives thanks until someone says, 'This was our best trip,' and only then do all the hours of planning seem fully justified.
