Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo are teaming up with GetYourGuide to find the nation's 'Holiday Heroes'. New research from the travel experience platform reveals that only 24% of Brits take on the role of the group's Holiday Hero – the person responsible for making trips happen. Yet seven in 10 Brits agree that such a hero is essential to get a trip out of the group chat.
Research Reveals Planning Burden
The study found that 15 million Brits identify as Holiday Heroes. Among them, 22% spend the equivalent of a full working week planning group holidays, booking flights, hotels and experiences. Half (49%) are left out of pocket after covering costs upfront. Meanwhile, nearly half of British travellers (46%) admit to muting WhatsApp group chats to avoid planning responsibilities, and a quarter of Gen Z travellers (24%) have faked an illness to skip helping out.
Competition and Celebrity Involvement
GetYourGuide is running a competition to reward Holiday Heroes, with a grand prize of £5,000 worth of experiences and 20 runner-up prizes of £200 vouchers. The campaign features podcasters and seasoned travellers Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo. During their first baby-free getaway to Paris this month, the couple competed for the title of Holiday Hero. Sophie planned a pastry class by a French grandmother, while Jamie won with a vintage car tour around the City of Love. The research found that more men (58%) claim to be the Holiday Hero than women (53%).
Personal Stories and Tips
Jamie said: “Ever since a disastrous trip to Mykonos in 2024 which resulted in a hotel change minutes after arriving at the one Sophie hadn’t even checked a photo of, I have proudly stepped into the ‘Holiday Hero’ role. I get very excited picking the destinations, researching the hotels and convincing Sophie to join me on unforgettable experiences. My next challenge is persuading her to join me in New Zealand for a touch of sky diving!”
Sophie added: “Whilst holiday admin isn’t my forte, I excel in finding the hidden gem restaurants, and of course, bringing the vibes. Since Ziggy came along, we have a new Passenger Princess in the family who requires my full attention! I’ll admit I don’t always give Jamie the recognition he deserves for getting our holidays from ideas to reality, so it’s brilliant that GetYourGuide are rewarding the nation’s Holiday Heroes. Who knows what Jamie would have me doing if he got his hands on £5,000 worth of travel experiences!”
GetYourGuide has also enlisted tips from Chelsea Dickenson, aka The Holiday Expert, to help with group dynamics. Her advice includes: making sure Holiday Zeros pull their weight by reading the itinerary and showing up on time; booking skip-the-line tickets to avoid heat-fuelled tensions; sorting out budgets before the trip via anonymous surveys; getting creative on a tighter budget by merging food and experience costs; and letting everyone have a say, possibly by catching up in person instead of relying on group chats.
To nominate a Holiday Hero, visit @getyourguide on Instagram and tag them on the pinned post, explaining why they deserve to win. One nominee receives £5,000 in GetYourGuide experiences, with 20 additional £200 vouchers. UK residents 18+. No purchase necessary. T&Cs apply. This promotion is not sponsored by Instagram.
