Travel planning India’s most underappreciated vacation task: Survey

NEW DELHI: Planning a holiday is the least appreciated task associated with travel for Indians, with most planners spending more than 10 hours organising a single trip and receiving little recognition for the effort, according to a survey by travel platform Klook.The survey, conducted among 2,725 travellers across 10 markets, found that over six in 10 Indian travel planners spend more than 10 hours planning a trip. Nearly 40% said they spend up to 20 hours, while around one-fourth said they devote 40 hours or more to planning a single vacation.The research found that travel planning involves coordinating multiple tasks, including booking transport and accommodation, managing budgets, creating itineraries and handling group logistics.“Being the travel planner means you don’t just book flights and hotels – you become the unofficial problem solver, budget manager and itinerary expert. It’s a responsibility, but it’s also part of the fun,” said Klook Kreator Shreya Gautam.Managing people emerged as the biggest challenge for Indian travel planners. Around 63.7% cited coordinating schedules as their top source of stress, followed by managing budgets (59.2%) and comparing flights and accommodation options (45.9%). Beyond logistics, 75.2% of respondents said one of their most important skills was selecting options that minimise disagreements within the group and keep everyone satisfied.The survey also found that planners remain responsible throughout the holiday. More than half said they check their phones at least six times a day during trips to manage bookings, directions and other arrangements.Many planners also reported facing criticism despite handling most of the organisational work. Common complaints directed at them included suggestions that the trip could have been planned better, alternative activities should have been chosen or that certain options exceeded individual budgets.More than seven in 10 Indian planners said they believed their work deserved compensation of at least US$50 per hour. Based on the time typically spent organising a week-long group holiday, Klook estimated this represented as much as US$1,000 worth of unpaid effort.

The survey found that 63.7% of Indian planners believed their group would not have travelled at all without someone taking charge of the arrangements, while 67.5% said the overall travel experience would have been poorer without a dedicated planner.More than eight in 10 respondents said travel planners deserved greater recognition for the time and effort they invest in making group holidays successful.Klook said the findings highlight the significant amount of planning, coordination and problem-solving required before and during group travel, much of which often goes unnoticed by fellow travellers.Gautam, however, added: “I have realised the travel planner rarely gets thanked until someone says, ‘That was our best trip yet.’ That’s when all those hours of planning feels completely worth it.”