The season of giving is almost upon us, but maybe you’re looking for something a little different to put in your Christmas stockings this year. If you’re tempted to transform your annual yuletide shopping splurge into an opportunity to support local businesses and focus on quality over quantity, here are five reasons we believe that travel makes the ideal Christmas treat.
Did you know that TravelManagers has 500 personal travel managers (PTMs) distributed throughout Australia in every state and territory, and each PTM is a small business owner in their own right? That means your gift is helping to support a local business, ensuring that the wheels are kept turning in your own back yard. And because our PTMs are home-based travel professionals, they can work with you (or your gift recipient) at the time and place that best suits, so you can even make those travel plans over a festive glass of wine or post-celebratory coffee.
In a world where decluttering experts can make a living from telling you what you no longer need, wouldn’t you rather give something that will always be cherished and can never be thrown away? Giving a loved one a holiday experience for Christmas means you’re also gifting them precious memories that be can be treasured forever, and will never collect dust on the mantlepiece. Of course, whether they choose to add to their collection of souvenir snow globes as a more tangible reminder of their holiday is entirely up to them!
Regardless of your budget, your local PTM can help you to decide on a suitable, holiday-related gift for the traveller in your life. It could be something as simple as a night away at a hotel or resort, or it could be linked to a holiday that’s already been booked – a day tour in a chosen destination, a room upgrade or a private car transfer. Depending on the destination, you may also be able to arrange for a special surprise such as a bottle of wine for the recipient – your PTM can help you make it happen.
Maybe the lucky recipient has not yet finalised their travel plans, or perhaps you’d like to provide them with the necessary encouragement to finally book that long-talked-about holiday. Why not ask your PTM to provide you with a travel voucher that can be put towards a future holiday? And if they’re saving for that trip of a lifetime, other friends and family members follow your example, allowing the recipient to reach their goal sooner than would otherwise have been possible – what a wonderful way to share in the joy of travel!
Our PTMs are experts who work with their clients to design holiday experiences that are tailored to individual needs and desires. By choosing to give a gift of travel, you will be planting the seed of a partnership that can flourish over time, growing into a true collaboration as the PTM gets to understand their personality, priorities and preferences. The better a PTM understands their clients, the better they are able to deliver truly memorable travel moments. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
If you’d like to take the pressure off Santa and give your loved ones something they’d really enjoy this Christmas, ask your personal travel manager for ideas and assistance.