Nearly half of Brits identify as the “Chief Vacation Officer” (CVO) in their friend group – the one who actually turns holiday chat into a real plan. A poll of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Samsung, found there are six different personalities that make up a group trip, including the “Busy Bee” who is never free (15 per cent), the “Ghost” who disappears until turning up at the departure gates (10 per cent), and the “Snap Happy One” who cannot let a meal or moment pass without snapping a photo (20 per cent). Another 14 per cent are the “Fluent-ish Friend”, diving into the local language with confidence, while 11 per cent are self-confessed “Window Shoppers” who scour social media for recommendations but never actually book anything.
The research found 64 per cent of Brits think a trip wouldn’t get off the ground without the CVO. From starting the group chat to choosing destinations and deciphering endless messages, 53 per cent said the CVO plays an undervalued role in making trips happen. To shine a spotlight on their heroic work, Samsung has enlisted the support of Vicky Pattison, a self-confessed Chief Vacation Officer. She said: “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.”
“Nearly half of Brits identify as the 'Chief Vacation Officer' who gets holiday plans out of the group chat, a poll has found.”
Phones are an increasingly important tool for today’s CVOs, with 67 per cent relying on them to help organise trips, from social media to discover new destinations (40 per cent) and AI platforms to help build the perfect itinerary (42 per cent). Yet even with technology, 46 per cent said they still struggle to keep the group chat, bookings and everyone’s preferences in one place. The biggest planning headaches included finding dates that work for everyone (42 per cent), choosing where to stay (27 per cent) and collecting passport details (11 per cent). For Gen Z, planning is often squeezed into spare moments: 24 per cent said they’ve planned a holiday on their lunch break or while commuting.
Samsung, which highlights the Galaxy Z Fold7 as the ultimate travel command centre thanks to Multi Window functionality for the modern CVO, says travel planning has become a juggling act across apps. When asked what would make planning easier, 37 per cent said it would help to see flights, hotels and messages side by side. Whether they are booking flights or chasing payments, the CVO remains the unsung hero of the group chat – the one without whom the holiday might never leave the message thread.