On Gifting Travel Experiences
I've long been weary of both giving and receiving gifts out of obligation – think Christmas, birthdays, graduations... I feel guilty for not loving a gift as much as I think the giver wants me to, or never using the item, and I feel especially guilty when I eventually get rid of said gift after many months (sometimes years) of it gathering dust, forgotten on a shelf.
Rather than giving your loved ones materials goods (ahem, junk) that they'll never use and will forget about in a couple days, consider giving them something they will actually love: a memorable experience.
Experiences contribute to greater overall happiness compared to material possessions, which can quickly lose their novelty. This is because experiences tend to create lasting memories and can lead to personal development by broadening our perspectives.
Family travel is valuable travel
Traveling together as a family is especially rewarding. It can provide more meaningful moments together and help strengthen your family bond. As a bonus, giving children these experiences helps to reduce their tendency to compare themselves to others based on material objects.
When compared to birthdays or other events, people remember their childhood family vacations much more vividly. That's because families are able to bond on a deeper level when breaking out of the day-to-day mundane.
Bringing grandparents? Kids will cherish the quality time spent together long after returning home! Let Grandma and Grandpa take your kids for an afternoon. Not only will Mom and Dad get a little time to themselves in a new (potentially romantic) destination, Grandma, Grandpa and the kids will spend quality time together getting to know each other better without the buffer of parents.
The best graduation gift: travel
Gifting travel experiences is particularly meaningful to recent high school and/or college graduates, who are just coming into adulthood and figuring out who they are (without their parents). Traveling has a way of making you focus on what's really important in life. Taking part in authentic experiences not only changes the way you view the world, but it also encourages self-reflection. Post graduation traveling can help these new adults learn more about themselves so they can find what they want to be when they grow up.
I know... it can be intimidating to send your kids off into the unknown (just ask my mom)! However, there are many tours that are designed especially for young adults traveling solo, so you can rest easy knowing they're traveling with a group of new friends – not gallivanting alone into uncharted territory.
Types of travel gifts
Of course, you can pay for every little thing on your recipient's grand tour of southern Europe, and I'm sure they'd appreciate it. But you also don't have to pay for the whole trip!
You can easily add-on to someone's existing trip, especially if they're skipping things to keep their budget low – think hotel upgrades, a private tour of a castle, a class on folk art or authentic cooking, or even paying for a dinner reservation in an elegant restaurant that serves local, traditional fare.
My first recommendation? A private transfer from the airport to their hotel. When arriving in an unfamiliar destination, the last thing you want to worry about is how to find your hotel in a foreign language while lugging around your suitcases.
You can also pay for their flights, upgrade their seat, or offer to put a certain amount towards their trip.
Not sure where to start?
While it's fun to keep the surprise, you may be better off consulting with the travel recipient before booking that non-refundable tour throughout northwest Asia. You want their trip to be memorable for the right reasons (re: a gift they'll actually enjoy).
Start by scheduling a free consultation with Molly at Hooked on Hiatus so we can review your budget and determine the best type of trip for your intended recipient. Together, we'll come up with a great vacation that will be thoroughly enjoyed and also within your budget (a win-win for everyone).
I'll also take care of all the not-so-fun paperwork (names, travel dates, passport info, the logistics of booking hotels, transportation and tours that align with your times in each destination...), while you sit back and take all the credit for giving the gift of a lifetime.
Schedule your free consultation with Molly at Hooked on Hiatus to get started today!