Ever wondered why your group trip actually happens? Chances are, there is one person behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly from choosing the destination, arranging bookings to keeping everyone’s plans in check.
A new study by Klook found that travel planners are often the most taken-for-granted people in every friend group, despite being the ones who make group holidays possible.
The research, which surveyed 2,725 travellers across 10 markets, found that more than nine in 10 Malaysian respondents (91.9%) believe travel planners deserve more appreciation for the time and effort they spend organising group trips.
Planning a Holiday Is More Work Than It Looks
While many people assume organising a week-long group holiday takes less than 10 hours, the reality is very different for those doing the planning.
More than seven in 10 Malaysian travel planners said they spend more than 10 hours preparing a trip. In fact:
- 40.3% spend up to 20 hours planning a single trip
- 35.5% spend 40 hours or more
Sarah Wan, General Manager of Klook for Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, said every friend group usually has someone who takes responsibility for bringing the travel plans to life.
“Our research highlights just how much time, effort and coordination go into making those holidays happen, and how little recognition travel planners often receive in return,” she said.
More Than Just Booking Flights and Hotels
Planning a group holiday involves much more than simply finding flights and accommodation.
According to the study, Malaysian travel planners face several challenges, including:
- Managing group budgets (63.1%)
- Coordinating everyone’s schedules (45.0%)
- Handling last-minute changes (38.9%)
Keeping everyone happy is another challenge. Nearly two-thirds (65.1%) of travel planners said one of their key responsibilities is choosing experiences that suit different preferences while reducing disagreements within the group.
And the responsibility does not stop once the trip begins.
More than half of Malaysian travel planners continue handling bookings, directions and travel arrangements during the holiday, with many checking their phones six times or more a day to ensure everything goes according to plan.
The Person Everyone Depends On (But Often Blames)
While many travellers simply say, “I’m okay with anything,” the travel planner is usually the one left making the final decisions and sometimes taking the blame when expectations are not met.
The study found:
- 61.1% of Malaysian travel planners have heard, “I could have planned this better”
- 58.4% have faced, “Why didn’t we do this instead?”
- 50.3% have been told, “That’s out of my budget”
With the amount of time, coordination and responsibility involved, more than eight in 10 Malaysian travel planners believe their time is worth at least US$50 (around RM205) per hour.
For those spending up to 40 hours planning a single trip, the value of their effort could reach US$1,000 (around RM4,100) even before the holiday begins.
A Simple “Thank You” Goes a Long Way
Someone has to turn “We should go somewhere” into “Remember that amazing trip?”
Most of the time, that person is the travel planner.
More than 70.5% of Malaysian travel planners believe the holiday would never move beyond the group chat without them, while 67.8% say their group trips would not run as smoothly without someone taking charge.
Despite spending hours managing schedules, budgets, last-minute changes and everyone’s expectations, more than nine in 10 Malaysian travel planners feel they still receive too little recognition for their efforts.
Behind every memorable holiday, there is usually someone quietly putting in the time and energy so everyone else can enjoy the experience.
So, the next time your group trip goes smoothly, remember to thank the person who made it happen the unofficial “travel manager” of the group.