A Yampu How-to to Giving the Gift of Travel

Just in case you haven’t realized, the time is near… Before you know it, the holidays will be here, and your loved ones will be ecstatically opening up gifts that you painstakingly scowered poorly lit department stores, hand wrapped, and lovingly placed beneath the tree with anticipation for that loving glow to overcome their faces.

Fast-forward one month when the magic has depleted. You step on little Jimmy’s left, wireless earbud that’s been missing since New Years, your new pots and pans become just another mountain of dirty obstacles to conquer… later, and grandma’s new Fitbit sits on her sewing table, unopened.

It’s become the same thing every year with so much pressure to give the perfect gift that goes unappreciated. In today’s bustling world, giving the gift of travel and experiences is one of the best ideas for holiday gift-giving that will be cherished for a lifetime. Some may see not giving physical gifts as “impersonal,” but there are so many ways to build the excitement when gifting experiences. With this, our travel and gift-giving experts have created a Yampu “How-To” to giving the gift of travel!

Who does one give travel to?

The great thing about gifting amazing experiences is that it can be given to nearly anyone. Some examples include;

• That person who already has everything

We all know that person who has the latest and greatest everything and is always up to date on the trendiest things. They know what they want, and they get it themselves when they want it. Somethings that never fade from being fashionable, though, are worldly experiences.  Help them put their new iPhone’s camera to use, say, while taking in the views atop one of the world’s largest buildings while visiting the United Arab Emirates.

 

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• College students and young adults just starting out

Millennials are thought to “ruin everything,” but they seem to be on track when it comes to putting together wish lists. The younger generations are living more minimalist lifestyles by spending less and less on material objects and investing more on experiences. Help out that avocado-toast eating niece of yours put her money towards her student loans while helping her explore the temples of Thailand. Think of it this way; you can invest in a young person’s future. According to Business Insider, traveling makes one more employable.

 

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• Grandparents

Who better to send on a trip than the loving grandparents who have retired and have an ample amount of time to explore the world? Some people who are getting up there in age may find themselves saying they are “too old” to be jet-setters. Here’s the thing, the Golden Years were given that title for a reason! With children off on their own and work no longer hindering precious time, gram and gramps can taste their way through Argentina’s wine region and feel the power of one of the world’s largest waterfalls while ticking off their neglected bucket list! Just ask Jane of 3 Score and More about her travels around the globe for the 60+.

 

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• The free-spirited and adventure seekers

Whether it be trekking through some of the tallest mountains of the world or camping cliffside while hanging from a glass pod, the adventure seeker is always on the hunt for an adrenaline kick. While the free-spirited are in search of themselves, both have a lust for life and exploring new corners of the globe. Letting nothing get in the way of their search, some even travel solo to find it. From adrenaline-pumping active adventure vacations to a spiritual awakening, the sky is the limit.

 

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• The Whole Family

When is the last time the entire family got together (willingly) and shared laughs and smiles with one another? A family vacation could be what is needed to reestablish those family ties and bring everyone closer together. The kids can learn from the world first hand and fully understand what those textbooks are talking about. You and your significant other will be able to delight in the little ones’ smiles and even get some romantic alone time while the kiddos have their own excursion. Fun will be had by all while making those lasting memories.

 

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Tip;

Do be 100% sure of the destination and the person’s schedule. If you’re still hesitant to give such a generous gift without knowing what exactly they may like, a Yampu gift card can be a perfect stand-in. Just let us know the dollar amount, and they can come to us for a perfectly tailored experience!

Okay, but how does one “give” travel?

So now that we covered who you can give experiences to, how do you go about it giving it?

Stick with a theme

With the other gifts you do give, stick to a theme. Whether it be generic travel goodies or focusing on the destination chosen, give hints that will lead to the grand discovery! There are so many ways to go about this. Use alpaca themed wrapping paper to wrap alpaca wool hats if you’re going to Peru. Give a delightful Chilean wine to make their taste buds curious for more with some beautiful lapis jewelry. Hand out zany zoo animal ornaments to hint at a wonderful safari and cross off a “Hippopotamus for Christmas” from their list. Make them wonder!

Make it fun!

You have a destination chosen and a general theme to stick to. Now is the fun part, actually giving the gift! Get creative with this part because you want to make the moment memorable and have some fun yourself. Opening a card isn’t all that exciting, so try out some other ideas!

• Solve the Mystery

Continuing with your chosen theme, wrap up some little gifts that won’t give away the main present but makes them wonder what in the world you were thinking when you went shopping before they piece together the clues. It can be enjoyable watching their confused expression and trained politeness come out when they unwrap something like a passport holder, a llama tree ornament, or an avocado…

• A Treasure Hunt

Nobody can pass up something as exciting as a treasure hunt. Having to put so much work into finding the present, they’ll know it’s something worthwhile. Keep things tame by leaving riddles around the house to piece together or have the family go about the town finding directions for their next clue.

• Trojan Horse

Hide your gift of travel inside another gift that the receiver really wanted. So they’ve been talking nonstop about an industrial blender for smoothies (okay, let’s be honest, margaritas) that can blend produce and ice, make soup, mix cement and crush bricks with an easy pour spout at the bottom. Watch the excitement in their eyes change to confusion when you tell them to open the box, then the blender, to find a Yampu Itinerary to the motherland of margs, Mexico!

• An Imposter!

Get creative with packaging the gift. Receiving a wine bottle box and finding a bottle of wine inside is a little anticlimactic. The key is to give the receiver a gift that is disguised as something much less exciting than what it looks to be. Hiding some wool socks inside an iPhone XS box is just plain mean. A Yampu Itinerary rolled inside a pair of socks is… still, a bit mean, but fun!

Bonus Tips;

If you have a credit card that you can rack up air miles or points, be sure to use it! You might as well both benefit from your big-heartedness.

Combine the gift of travel by giving back to local communities in your destinations of choice. Yampu can help you with that with our partner, Pack for a Purpose, and other fantastic organizations.

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