Who doesn’t love to receive a beautifully wrapped gift? The anticipation of finding out what’s inside makes our mind whirl like a slot machine. These days, many people value experiences over material goods, so the gift of travel is a fabulous way to give your loved ones unique activities rather than objects. Travel creates memories that last forever and opens the traveler’s eyes to amazing sights, new tastes, and different cultures. Those precious memories never go out of fashion or take up any space, yet you can enjoy them over and over again.

So the next time you want to give a gift, why not give a journey instead of a thing? The gift of travel can come in several forms, depending on your budget and the recipient’s interests.

Give a Specific Trip

Obviously, giving someone a full trip is a most generous gift of travel. There’s little doubt your recipient will love it but beware of pre-arranging all the details without discussing it with the giftee. If you choose a date that doesn’t work for the traveler, the fees to change it can be steep or even non-refundable.

If you want to pay for all elements of a trip for someone – or just the airfare or accommodations, talk to your travel advisor first to be sure your budget is realistic for the travel you have in mind. Most trips can be arranged at a variety of price points, depending on accommodations chosen and length of stay. Your advisor can make suggestions to align the trip inclusions with your desired budget. After you present the gift of travel, your recipient can work directly with your travel advisor to customize the trip as they wish, within your parameters. That way you can relax knowing all the details are handled and not have to do a thing. Travel Maestro tip: We can provide a supplier brochure for a cruise or escorted tour, or a destination guide for independent travel that you can wrap to represent your gift.

Give a Special Experience During a Trip

Another way to give the gift of travel is to enhance a trip that your recipient already has planned by adding a special experience. For example, you could prepay a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti for friends who are going on safari. You could also gift the famous Bridge Climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge or prepay shore excursions on a cruise.

It doesn’t have to be an active adventure experience. Foodies would certainly enjoy dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant wherever they travel. You could give art lovers a day with a private guide and after-hours museum access or history buffs a private walking tour of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel Maestro tip: We have a global network of connections to arrange virtually any private excursion you can dream up.

Give a Travel Gift Certificate

If you don’t know where your lucky recipient might like to go or what they want to do there, you can still give the gift of travel with a Travel Gift Certificate. You can purchase them from Covington in any amount and apply them to any reservations Covington makes, with the exception of car rentals. (Car rental policies require personal credit card payment.) Travel Gift Certificates need to be purchased by cash or check. Travel Maestro tip: Travel Gift Certificates aren’t only for holiday giving. Think weddings (honeymoons), anniversaries (romantic getaways), retirement celebrations (well-deserved R&R), and graduations (independent trip to Europe).

This year treat those on your gift list to the gift of travel. We’ve got tons of inspiration for you.