How to Gift Travel This Year

The holiday season has begun, and Black Friday sales are under way!  Although traditional gifting of tangible objects is still extremely popular, I find I buy more for myself than for others during these great sales.  In fact, a lot of people I know are far more interested in gifting experiences than things.  But gifting travel can be complicated.  I’m here to help you find the way that will work best for anyone on your holiday list! Here are my recommendations to gift the experience of travel this year!

Plan a surprise trip 

A surprise trip is the ultimate romantic gift (cue romcom music!)!  Even if it’s not for a romantic partner, a surprise like that is super exciting for both the gifter and receiver.  But beware - planning a surprise trip can also be risky.  The gifter will have to secretly coordinate schedules, arrange time off work, plan for childcare, etc.  What if your travel partner has a huge work project coming up and just can’t get away on the dates you chose?  What if the destination really doesn’t excite them?  Is it possible your travel buddy is also planning a surprise trip for you?  Don’t be discouraged, it can be done!  In fact, I recently helped a client plan a surprise trip for their spouse over the holidays.  Shhhhh – don’t tell!!  With so many moving parts, it’s all about the details – if you want to surprise someone with a getaway, give me a call.  I’ll be sure we cover all the bases and plan the surprise that’s right for you! 

Gifting a portion of the trip

If planning a whole surprise trip isn’t feasible for you, whether it’s the cost, figuring out the dates, or keeping the entire thing a surprise, don’t worry; you still have options! Gifting a portion of the trip is an option, even if the trip is already planned.  If your giftee is already planning a trip, you can surprise them by paying for part of that trip.  Or you can purchase trip extras like excursions, massages, a special dinner, and more.  Contact me to help coordinate these add-ons or make a payment on an existing trip!  If the trip isn’t planned yet, we can work together to find the right part of the trip to gift to your loved one.   

Gift a travel voucher or gift card

A lot of the travel I book for clients is based on packages, which involve airfare and hotel/resort, or airfare and car rental, etc.  Why?  Because bundling your trip components usually allows me to find you the best deal!  One of the easiest ways to gift travel is through a travel voucher or gift card.  It can be an official voucher or gift card from a travel supplier like Delta or Funjet, or you can make your own!  I can help you select the right option for you and your intended recipient.  It may not be as exciting as a surprise trip, but it’s straightforward, easy for the gifter, and allows so much flexibility for the receiver!  It also gives you a chance to plan the trip together, which can be a super fun process!  And if you plan it with me, all you have to do is tell me what you’re looking for and provide feedback on the proposal to help me fine tune your experience! What could be simpler or more fun than that?  Email me today to get started on gifting a travel experience! 

Travel gifts

While this post is primarily about gifting the experience of travel, let’s not forget all the great accessories!  To travel well, you need luggage, adventure-specific clothes, travel-sized toiletries and more!  You can give all of these and more for an amazing, travel-related gift!  Whether you purchase these items and wrap them yourself, or you purchase a gift card, I have lots of great ideas to share!  I can’t possibly list them all here, or the blog would go on forever!  Contact me for help with your holiday travel gifting! 

Money

Let’s be honest, money is the easiest gift, and often the most desired.  Money is flexible and can be used for whatever portion of the trip the receiver needs.  Maybe the traveler wants to upgrade their seats, buy some extra souvenirs, or have an extra special dinner at a spot they find during their trip.  While carrying some cash is always a good idea, it’s safer to carry a card.  There are many gift cards that act as credit cards that can be used on your trip, some without foreign transaction fees, making them perfect for your world travelers! 

Have you gifted travel?  What method did you choose?  Is there someone on your list this year that would love the gift of travel?  Send me a message and I would be happy to help!