Finding a great gift for someone who seemingly has everything can become a bit of a headache. How do you find the right present that they will use and don’t already have?
For travelers in particular, who spend so much time visiting foreign and exotic countries, you don’t want to gift them something average – you want to find something that really makes an impact!
It’s always nice to know the gift you have chosen is gratefully received, though these days it’s important to think outside the box if you’re trying to gift the traveler in your family.
If you’re struggling for ideas you’ll find the following are definitely out of the box and truly unique!
Unique, Out-of-the-Box Gift Ideas that Every Traveler Will Appreciate!
Personalised Number Plate
TravAddict? FrequentFlier? Country#50?
If the person you’re buying a gift for has a car, why not consider travel themed, private plates?!
This is typically something that people don’t buy for themselves, so you can get that they probably haven’t even thought of doing it.
Yes, travelers aren’t going to be using their car while overseas, but it’s a nice nod to their favorite hobby while they’re stuck at home between holidays.
Getting new plates can be expensive, but there are also second hand private plates for sale so if you’re on a budget you can go that way.
Subscriptions
The gift that keeps on giving, the great thing about gifting a subscription is that you can choose the length of time you’re willing to pay for, and they have the chance to carry it on when it’s finished.
Our favorite subscription to gift the world traveler is a one year National Geographic Magazine – with over 1,400 issues, 200,000 photos, and 8,000 articles, there’s nothing better for staying occupied on long train rides of flights.
In fact, there’s nothing better for staying occupied – period!
If they have another favorite magazine, one you catch them staring longingly at in the newsagency but they only buy infrequently as a treat – get them the monthly subscription.
You can also go the route of subscription boxes, where a different gift is mailed every week / month. There are so many different subscription boxes on the market now that you can be sure to find the ideal box, regardless of what they’re interested in.
Memberships
Memberships can be a great idea for a gift, though we’re not talking about a membership at the gym. Whether it’s something like a National Parks Yearly Pass, signing them up to hotel membership programs, or online courses – aim for something they’ll love.
For the traveler, find out if they have membership to any global airline lounges, and if not, this can be a great idea for a gift. Priority Pass is the world’s largest independent airport lounge access program, so that’s a good place to start.
Or, if you know they’re a keen photographer, do some research and see if there are any courses they would love to do but can’t cover the cost. Something like this that’s practical, and plays to their passions is a great gift.
Maybe they’ve said that they always wanted to learn a new language – sign them up for a Rosetta Stone membership for learning Spanish or Italian. Quite like subscription programs, memberships are paid by the month.
Experiences
Making memories is one of the best ways you can create a lovely thoughtful gift, especially for travelers who prioritize experiences over material things.
Why not look at gifting travel vouchers? Do some digging into the sites they most commonly use, and give them some money towards booking their next trip.
This is a sure fire way to make sure your present is not only well received but also thoroughly enjoyed too. They’ll always associate that trip / experience with the fact that you gifted it, and remember it for years to come.
Why not make it even more special by tagging along too? It doesn’t have to be international travel; if they’ve always said they would love to go skydiving, a jump at home is just as adventurous – and you can do it too!
Photo credit: Jon Roig / CC BY 2.0 / via Flickr
Something Personalized
There’s something so unique and special about gifting a personalised item. These days, the options for personalising material things are vast and you can be sure that the gift you choose will be treasured.
As opposed to going with something tacky though, like putting their name on a mug – really dig deep for this one. If you can sneak some of their favorite images they’ve taken on their journeys and blow them up into canvas prints, this is always an incredible gift.
Similarly, you could organize a postcard board collage of the countries they’ve been to, get a pin board of the world and pre-fill it in for them, have their name engraved on a camera strap that they actually use.
When it comes to gift ideas, start with the things you know they already love, and brainstorm how you can make them even better – even more special.