Unsung Holiday Heroes: New Research Spotlights the Person Who Turns Group Holiday Ideas Into Reality

New research has lifted the lid on the different personalities that make up a group trip, with 64% of Brits saying a getaway would never get off the ground without the ‘Chief Vacation Officer’ (CVO).

From starting the chat to choosing destinations and deciphering endless messages, 53% of Brits say those who organise group getaways play an undervalued role in making trips happen.

The research found that while every group trip needs a CVO, most of them often come with their own cast of characters. One in five (20%) identify themselves as the “The Snap Happy One”, who can’t let a meal or moment pass without taking a photo, while a further 15% admit they are the “Busy Bee” who can never quite make the dates.

The Group Trip Cast of Characters

1. CVO – takes charge and makes the trip happen
2. Busy Bee – somehow never free
3. Ghost – says they are in before vanishing until the airport
4. Window Shopper – sends endless inspiration without ever locking anything in
5. The Snap Happy One – starts planning photo opportunities before they leave, mapping the most Instagram-worthy spots
6. The Fluent-ish Friend – brushes up on the local language weeks before departure, clocking up Duolingo lessons and practising key phrases in the hope they’ll sound like a fluent local

Commissioned by Samsung, the research found that phones are becoming an increasingly important tool for today’s trip planners, with 67% relying on their mobile to help organise trips, from using social media to discover new destinations (40%) and AI platforms to help build the perfect itinerary (42%). Despite this, almost half of respondents (46%) admit they still struggle to keep track of the group chat, bookings and everyone’s preferences in one place.

The planning juggle is no longer confined to laptops or kitchen tables either, with Gen Z turning everyday downtime into personal-admin windows, as nearly a quarter admit to planning a holiday during their lunch break or on the commute (24%).

To shine a spotlight on the heroic work of CVO’s, Samsung has enlisted the support of Vicky Pattison, a self-confessed Chief Vacation Officer, to explore how travel planning has evolved from a simple booking task into a juggling act across apps and content streams, and the pride she feels when the plans finally exit the group chat.

The campaign highlights the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 as the ultimate travel command centre for the modern CVO. With its immersive foldable screen, expansive cover display and Multi Window functionality, it helps holiday planners compare flights, hotels and itineraries while keeping the group chat open and moving. Built for planning on the go, its AI-powered features also make it easier to manage to-do lists, track details and turn holiday ideas into booked trips.

Vicky Pattison commented:

“It’s safe to say I love a holiday, and in my friendship group I am absolutely the lead booker and honestly, I thrive from the challenge. What starts as a simple ‘we should all go away’ somehow turns into you sorting dates, comparing hotels, collecting passport details and reminding people to pay you back and I secretly get a kick out of it. Everyone loves the holiday once it’s booked, but very few people see what goes into making it happen.

I think every friendship group has that one person who ends up carrying the trip from idea to reality, and with the Galaxy Z Fold7’s Multi Window, it’s so much simpler than it was before.”

The study revealed the biggest holiday planning challenges, including choosing where to stay (27%), collecting everyone’s passport details (11%) and finding dates that work for everyone (42%), all making the top 10.

Top 10 Holiday Planning Challenges

1. Finding dates that work for everyone (42%)
2. Agreeing on a budget everyone is happy with (31%)
3. Choosing where to stay (27%)
4. Making decisions when no one else will commit (23%)
5. Getting everyone to reply in the group chat (23%)
6. Dealing with people changing their mind repeatedly (23%)
7. Chasing people for payments or deposits (21%)
8. Comparing too many destination options (20%)
9. Aligning on activities so everyone feels the trip is worth it (20%)
10. Deciding on flights or travel times (19%)

It’s no surprise, therefore, that over a third of Brits (37%) believe having better tools to support holiday planning would make them more likely to organise more trips abroad.

When it comes to ease of planning, Brits identified being able to view multiple apps at once (38%), easy multitasking between chats, bookings and itineraries (34%) and a large screen for comparing options more easily (32%) as the device features they would find most useful when planning a group trip.

Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience VP of Product and Marketing, at Samsung, said:

“The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is built for the way modern holidays come together. Whether you’re comparing destinations and social media side by side or managing group chats and itineraries in real time, its expansive 8-inch unfolding display and Multi Window experience make it easy to plan, book and bring every part of your trip together in one place.”

Every friendship group has someone who somehow makes the trip happen, and 79% of those who regularly plan group holidays say a device that lets them view multiple apps and conversations at once would be useful.

With Multi Window, Galaxy Z Fold7 lets CVOs keep the group chat open while comparing flights, hotels and itineraries side by side. Features including Live Translate help break through language barriers when making calls, sending messages or having face-to-face conversations abroad, while its foldable form factor makes it easier to get everyone into the group photo once they get there. From first message to final photo, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is built to get the trip out of the chat and into real life.