Every friend group has one of that kind, the person who compares flights across 5 websites, keeps track of everyone’s budgets, reminds people to upload their ID proofs, books the airport cab, creates the itinerary, and still gets messages asking, “What time is our flight again?” after reminding everyone a thousand times.

A new study by travel and experiences platform Klook suggests that Indian travellers have finally identified the most stressful part of every group holiday, and it isn’t airport security, delayed flights, or overpacked suitcases. It is coordinating people and getting everyone on the same page. The research, conducted among 2,725 travellers across 10 markets, found that travel planning is the least appreciated holiday-related task in India, ranking below everyday favours such as carrying heavy bags or opening doors for someone.

The numbers reveal why so many self-appointed trip planners feel exhausted before the holiday even begins. More than 6 in 10 Indian planners said they spend over 10 hours organising a single trip. About 39.5% spend up to 20 hours, while 24.2% reported spending 40 hours or more planning a week-long vacation. That is the equivalent of an entire work week spent arranging a holiday that everyone else will simply show up for. According to the Klook study, many non-planners underestimate this effort and assume a group trip can be organised in under 10 hours.

The biggest headache is coordinating schedules, cited by 63.7% of Indian respondents. Anyone who has tried to align the calendars of six adults with different jobs, family commitments, and leave policies will recognise the chaos. Managing budgets came a close second at 59.2%, followed by comparing flights and accommodation options at 45.9%. What makes the findings particularly interesting is that the role goes far beyond logistics. 3 in 4 Indian planners (75.2%) said their most valuable skill is choosing options that minimise disagreements and keep everyone satisfied. In other words, the planner is not just a travel agent, they are also the group’s unofficial diplomat.

And the job does not end once the trip starts. More than half of Indian planners check their phones at least 6 times a day during the holiday to manage bookings, directions, restaurant reservations, transport changes, and last-minute requests from fellow travellers. While everyone else is watching the sunset, the planner is often checking whether tomorrow’s ferry booking has been confirmed. The imbalance between responsibility and recognition is striking. The study found that planners frequently receive complaints such as “This is over budget,” “Why didn’t we do that activity instead?” or the classic “I could have planned this better.” Yet over 80% of respondents believe travel planners deserve greater recognition for the effort involved in organising a trip.

Perhaps the most telling statistic is this: 63.7% of planners said their group trips would probably never happen without them, and 67.5% believe the travel experience would be less successful without a designated organiser. For Indian travellers, the modern group vacation appears to have a hidden truth. The real challenge is not finding the perfect destination; it is turning a chaotic WhatsApp group full of “I’m okay with anything” into an actual booked holiday. Behind every memorable Goa escape, Himachal road trip, or Thailand getaway is usually one overworked friend quietly doing the work of an operations manager, accountant, negotiator, and crisis handler, all for the price of a reluctant “thanks yaar.”

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