If you’re an avid traveller, collecting souvenirs of the places you visit is a fun way of commemorating your trips. Most people do this by taking photographs of their favourite destinations or saving boarding passes from their journeys.

However, there are times when you’re too busy to take a photo of your destination or even pick a trinket.

That’s when vintage travel posters come in handy. 

Besides reminding you of places visited and the people you encounter, vintage travel posters have a truly aesthetic appeal. Photographic ads, banner ads and TV commercial are all the rage, but they can’t replace the rich culture that travel posters embody.

How to Make Your Journeys Memorable With Vintage Travel Posters

They Are Informative

In the past, travellers collected custom posters in the form of photographs and paintings to mark their feat. Afterwards, they would use the posters to portray the culture of the various places they visited.

Vintage travel posters on the other hand typically feature catchy quotes that provoke thought and wonder. The posters are a rich source of information that makes you want to find out more about what’s depicted on them.

If a travel poster is about a landmark in London, for instance, someone who sees it may want to find out more. It’s a fantastic  way to spark inspiration, wanderlust, and a thirst for worldy knowledge (also a conversation starter when you have guests over!)

Travel Posters are Decorative

When you walk into a typical household, you’ll usually see a collection of family photos adorning the walls. Maybe some were even from their previous vacation.

But when people walk into your household, they could also see vintage travel posters.

Besides using travel posters to remember the travel destinations, you can display them as beautiful interior decor items. Travel posters have a timeless feel, and therefore, they suit different interior design styles.

When using them as decor pieces, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll incorporate them into the existing interior design of your home or office.

They Tell a Story of the Past

Keeping travel posters that depict the trips you’ve made over the years is an excellent way of preserving history. Vintage postures, in particular, depict the culture and way of life of the past era.

As the bygone era becomes more blurry, you’ll have mementos that help you tell a story of the places you visited. Needless to say, vintage travel posters provide evidence that you’ve lived your best life, seen the world, and sampled other cultures.

They Help You Plan Your Travels

No decision is as hard as choosing your next decision if you’re an avid traveller. Posters of your past destinations are a constant reminder of the places you’ve visited and those that you’re yet to explore.

By having them hanging on your walls, you’ll be able to plan your journeys better by collecting all the necessary information you need to make the upcoming trips memorable.

As with any other traveller, there are moments when lethargy kicks in and you don’t feel like travelling. Whenever you feel too lazy to get back on the road again, travel posters are the motivation you need to keep going.

Travel posters remind us of the beauty of this world and why we need to explore places that are unknown to us. They are also a reminder of the excitement that accompanies travelling to new places.

Act as an Incitement to Memorable Events

Ever wanted to experience Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest, or Australia’s Art, Not Apart Festival but lack the motivation? Travel posters depicting such events are all you need!

Travel posters can provide the inspiration we need to get excited about the things we’ve always wanted to do. But as so much time often passes (years in some cases!) between initially falling in love with an idea, and being able to make that trip a reality, travel posters we see every day help us stay excited. 

There’s no better way to commemorate your journeys than collecting souvenirs such as travel posters. Unlike photographs, mugs, rugs, and other mementos that you’d otherwise collect during your travels, posters have a timeless appeal.

Their diversity is also appealing since they add extra authenticity to your travels, besides giving you something to reminisce about when you’re back home.

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 100+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.