ritachit

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Someone tagged me and a couple of others DMed me to share my thoughts on a post that has branded people taking itinerary services as ‘throwing money in the bin’ and called the service providers ‘trying to invoice someone for sunshine’. Somewhere between saving reels of “hidden gems” that 3 million other people have already saved and using Gemini to plan trips. Your enthusiasm for research is commendable. But yes, just for the sake of argument, let’s call the person who chooses to skip this exercise… lazy. (their words, not mine, I’ll never call anyone lazy) By that logic, I suppose: -Having a cook is lazy. -Hiring a CA is lazy. -Getting aloo/pyaaz delivered is lazy. -Using ChatGPT to write is lazy. But but but, let me stick to the realm of travel before the OP comes at me with a bizarre argument about some glitch in the matrix. Visa agents/advisors. Some advisors think they have ‘cracked the code’, and some agents instil fear-mongering to get people to use their services. And yet no guarantee of a Schengen visa? So what are people paying for? To share a list of required documents that are already available on the internet. Check and double-check all the things that an AI can also do, or better yet, 3 friends? Oh, or the absolute worst kinds - the ones who share ‘hacks’ to get LTV (I’ve 3 LTVs on my passport currently, never used a hack, don’t believe in one.) And yet I’ve reached out to the GOAT @outofofficedaku , partially because I’m not pompous and partially because yeah, I’m not pompous. If “not doing everything yourself” is laziness, then half the service economy shouldn’t exist. Kaziranga safaris are fully bookable by yourself. And yet, people willingly join @hkarteek group trips. Again. And again. Clearly, they enjoy paying for things they could do themselves. (man, this matrix keeps glitching!) Or they’re paying for something more than just a ‘booking’. But yes, let’s go with ‘wasting money’. Also, the OP reeks of privilege. Privilege is mistaking “I enjoy doing this” for “everyone should do this.” The average Indian is still the homes where Bournvita jars become dal storage, old T-shirts become pocha, and takeaway boxes become tiffin. ( read more at: deccanherald.com/lifestyle/trav… ) I’ve had the honour to plan itineraries for average Indian Travellers. They paid me for an itinerary, not because they were lazy. But because they were nervous. Not everyone travels with the same ease as others. For some, it’s excitement (case in point, me, I’ve hitchhiked my way across Jordan and bunked with strangers I met on the way in Germany). For others, it’s overwhelming. I got paid to be someone who gave them the confidence to step into the unknown, knowing they are in control. In fact, a lovely couple once called me ‘sunshine’ cos of the energy I put into planning their trip. I guess I did invoice them for sunshine. :) And I’m not even going to touch the time factor paradox of luxury travellers. I’m sure my good friend @TravelBluez would have shared his savage thoughts. This is starting to make me feel that the OP thinks a curated itinerary is merely a list of things to do. aww. that’s cute. Because if you reduce anything enough, it starts to look pointless. Think about these: -A trainer is just a person counting reps out loud. -A therapist is just someone you pay to listen to you talk. -A DJ is just playing songs from a laptop. -A wedding planner is just someone who books a banquet hall. Oh boy, I feel sorry for folks who have a very peaceful worldview where everything is DIY. And are quick to judge. Because what on earth does follower count have to do with whether someone can charge for their knowledge? A local travel blogger with 5,700 followers may know that country better than a creator with over 1M followers who has cracked the algorithm. And there’s a lot more to content creation than just ‘skill’. But to see that, you have to remove the lazy filter. A lazy filter is when you pick the loudest voice instead of the most informed one. By that logic, the best doctor, lawyer, chef, visa advisor, financial advisor, or planner should simply be the person with the biggest Instagram account. Obviously not. In today’s creator economy, I’d be far more cautious of accounts that sell through affiliate links while pretending to give neutral advice. Changing their stance the moment the brand stops paying/cooperating. I’ve personally burnt my fingers buying products because the recommendation story sounded compelling. So no, free content is not automatically more honest. And paid advice is not automatically a scam. If the service is bad, the market will reject it. That is business management 101. If people are paying, something is working. Maybe not for you. But then, not everything is designed around your Sunday afternoon preferences. You don’t have to be the customer. But calling it “throwing money in the bin” just because you enjoy doing it yourself is a bit like someone who cooks at home declaring restaurants a scam. Absolutely not a market insight, but just a personal hobby/preference.

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